Young Justice: Conquer
by dragonfairy16
Summary: A what if 3rd season. In the last 5 years everything the Light had a hand in has lead to there ultimate goal and the team needs to figure out what that goal is before it's too late. Old members and new need to join forces to not only save the world but to save some of there friends from themselves. No OCs
1. Titans

**Oh my goodness it's been so long. I've missed writing. Some of you might have realized that I was in the middle of writing another YJ story a veeeeerrry long time ago but I decided to ditch it. My original idea was to write Young Justice: War which took place between years 1-5 but it was just going to take too long. So while re-reading the YJ: Invasion comics I realized I should just do what they did and do year 5 while doing flashbacks (or like what they do in the CW show Arrow). So YJ: War has been cancelled and in its place YJ: Conquer has been born. **

**The only thing you need to know is if I write underneath the date Team year 0, that is a flash back that takes place during season 1 between July 4****th**** and January 1****st**** and then so on and so on. So Team year 3 takes place 3 years after season 1. If I don't put anything under the date then it's back to the present. Hopefully that makes sense.**

**Also, even though I like keeping my FF to as close to the original story as possible I will not be using YJ: Legacy. I'm not a gamer so I didn't play it. I did watch the cut-aways but I thought it felt rushed and didn't add to the characters. **

**Otherwise please enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: Young Justice and all original characters does not belong to me but to Greg Weisman, Brandon Viett, and of course DC Comics. **

Chapter 1: Titans

Gotham City

August 23, 22:00 EST

Team year 2

The Warehouse was swallowed in silence except for the sound of the water of the Gotham bay that lapped at the dock. A shadow jumped onto the roof next to it and peered down; the shadows cape swishing behind it.

It watched as a young woman with shoulder length blond hair made her way to the warehouse. She wore her superhero costume of a tight sunset orange one piece accompanied with a gold belt, knee length gold boots, brown wristed gloves, and a short brown leather jacket. She stopped in front of the warehouses doors and looked around; her yellow visor over her eyes glinted in the moon light. When she looked around and walked into the large building.

The inside of the warehouse was mostly empty except for the occasional crate. The girl stood in the middle of the room; her arms crossed and her eyes closed. The girl smiled.

"I know you're there Robin. You can come out now," she said looking to her side. Behind a crate the shadow that was following her moved into the light.

"The replacement has arrived," she laughed.

"You can joke all you want Terra but I'm not going to let that bother me," said the second Robin; Jason Todd. His costume was nearly similar to the original Robin uniform with the difference of long black sleeves and red gloves.

"I thought for sure you would have told Nightwing instead of coming here yourself. Does anyone know you're here?" Terra asked. Robin didn't answer. "I guess not. Good."

"You asked me to meet you here alone and I'm here. Now what do you want?"

"I know you don't trust me. Everyone else on the team does. I saved the world by your side on countless missions and still you glare at me like you do your enemies. Why?" Terra demanded to know.

"You don't follow the rules. Everyone thinks that you're a saint but one day you're going to slip and everyone will see you for what you really are. A con-artist," Robin said. Terra gave Robin a scowl and the earth beneath them began to tremble. Robin grabbed the small staff that hugged his hip and expanded it with a click.

"Stop it Terra. You are going to bring the whole place down."

Terra blinked suddenly realizing what she was doing and with a calming breath the ground stopped it's shaking.

"See. You're dangerous," Robin said.

"We're all dangerous when we want to be," Terra said. Robin glared.

"Did you asked me to meet you here just to ask me to trust you?"

"Of course not. You see the people I work for asked me to have a talk with you."

"The people you work for? I'm guessing you don't mean the Justice League," Robin said tightening his grip on his staff.

"No, not the Justice League. You see, my employers think that you aren't right for the big JL. You're not like the original boy wonder, the golden boy. You think outside the box. You know that not all of the villains can be redeemed, that some of them should just be put out of their misery and that sometimes there needs to be a few casualties to get the job done."

"No I don't," Robin growled. Terra laughed.

"Is that you talking, or the Batman. I've worked with you to often for you to lie to me," Terra said walking up to the younger hero. "You hold back, do as you're told, but you have the same look that I do when we fight someone. Anger, jealousy-"

"You think I would be jealous…of the bad guys. Now I know you're insane," Robin cackled.

"Yes jealous, that you can't let go, that you're restrained to the principles of not killing to save lives. Not like how The Light works," Terra said.

"The Light?" Robin said taking a step back. His eyes widen. "Terra, I knew you were hiding something, but not something like working for The Light."

"They are doing great work. They have a plan, a good plan. It has been set in motion for years and in just a few more months there design will come to fruition and the world will be better for it."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Robin asked.

"Because you're exactly what they want Robin. A hero, but one who knows what needs to be done to save the Earth and all those who live on it. Maybe even the universe," Terra said with a smile.

Robin laughed. He laughed so hard that he tried to hold back tears. Terra's smile disappeared.

"You…are literally…insane," Robin choked back. "I might not agree with everything Batman or my teammates believe in but I'm sure as hell not joining the Light. I'm bringing you in Terra. I recorded the whole thing in my glove so don't even think about trying to deny it."

Terra sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry you feel that way. I really thought you would work with us, but I was wrong. Our plan will be set back another year or so without your help…but all will be brought into the light," Terra said. She turned around and started to walk for the door. Before she could reach it two batarangs hit the door.

"You don't think I'm going to let you leave like that do you?" Robin asked.

"No I didn't, but I brought insurance," Terra said. The doors slid open and in stepped the Joker. The lean man walked in with a smile on his face. Robin's eyes widen and his staff visibly shook in his hands.

"What's the verdict?" the clown asked with a grin.

"He won't be joining us for dinner I'm afraid," Terra said.

"To bad," the Joker laughed. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a crow bar. "I was so looking forward to having a family meal."

"Terra, don't do this…Terra," Robin shouted but toughened his stance to fight back the Joker.

Terra frowned but walked out of the warehouse shutting the doors behind her leaving to the sound of the crazy Gotham villains laugh.

Littleville

July 23, 12:16 MST

Dick Grayson sat at the diner's booth in his civilian clothing of jeans, a black t-shirt and an open blue button down shirt. His sunglasses sat on the table in front of him next to an empty cereal bowl as he stirred his coffee. Dick looked up as someone took a seat across from him. Blue eyes met green.

"Tim?" Dick said in surprise.

"Hi," the younger protégée greeted. He wore his own black and red t-shirt and jeans.

"How did you find me?" Dick asked.

"I read the back log of the Zeta tubes and checked for the closest place that serves cereal all day. And here you are," Tim smiled.

"Yeah…here I am," Dick said back softly. "Does Bruce know that you're here?"

"Bruce doesn't care where I am today. It's the anniversary of you-know-what," Tim said with a frown. Dick nodded. It's been exactly three years since the death of Jason.

"Can I ask what you're doing in Littleville?" Tim asked.

"Just another lead," Dick said. He took a sip of his coffee.

"A lead on Wally? How good is it?" Tim asked. Dick didn't answer. "Not that good huh," Tim frowned.

"I got this covered Tim. You should probably head home."

"I can help. I don't care what the others say. If you believe that Wally could be alive than I believe it too."

"Why?" Dick asked.

"Because you were the one who believed in me when no one else did," Tim said eagerly. Dick sighed.

"You're going to laugh," he said. Tim waited. "I had a dream…maybe more like a vision. I know it's weird."

"What was it about?" Tim asked.

"I saw Wally. He was just floating in whiteness and then I was in Littleville, standing in front of this building. I didn't think anything of it but I heard this sound…like a horn, and then a girl crying for help. Normally I would chalk it up for a bad dream but I looked up the building and it's real. It's an abandoned clinic that closed down a few years ago. How could I just dream about a place I've never been too?"

"You can't," Tim said. The younger teen stood up grabbing a pair of sunglasses from his pocket and put them on.

"Tim?" Dick asked.

"Well are you coming? We have a building to investigate."

Dick smiled, threw some money on the table and placed his own sunglasses on.

YJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJ

Dick looked up at the four floor building and whistled.

"This place is not stable," he said looking at the crumbling infrastructure. Tim came up next to him.

"Well I don't hear any horns," Tim said. Dick shrugged his shoulders and the two walked through the broken glassed doors. Water dripped from the graffiti covered walls and weeds slipped its way through the cracks of the floor. The wind created a howling sound as it whipped through the corridors.

"This place gives me creeps," Tim said looking around. Dick stopped in his tracks and shushed Tim. He grabbed his eskrima sticks from under his jacket and expanded it. Tim followed Dick's example and expanded his own staff. They walked further into the building and slowly made their way up some stairs. Tim was finally able to hear what Dick heard in the lobby. A low hum of chanting, although he couldn't make out what they were saying.

The entire second floor was one spacious room, held up by large square pillars. Dick signaled for Tim to take the right while he took the left.

"Azarath metrion zinthos, azarath metrion zinthos," the chanters sang. The two stood in awe at the sight of an alter surrounded by capped bodies in the middle of the room. Above the alter a girl laid floating in the air with her eyes closed. Her long black haired flowed under her and her plain blue dress draped down around her knees.

"Hey," Dick shouted coming out of his hiding spot. The chanting stopped and the circle looked towards him with a sharp twitch. Dick took a quick step back; his mouth hung open in horror. He was expecting humans, not whatever these things were.

Their skin was grey like ash and sunken into their cheek bones. Four sharp eyes glowed red under their hoods as they all screeched piercing both Dick and Tim's ears. With the creatures loud cries the floating girl opened her eyes with a gasp. She looked over at Dick.

"Help me," she cried out. Dick took his stance and charged. The creatures ran at him with claws protruding from their fingers. Tim came out of his hiding spot catching the monsters from behind and wacked one in the back with his staff. The creature turned around and with a roar it turned its attack on Tim with a few following its lead.

Dick ran back towards the door. He turned back to the onslaught and grabbed the top of the door. He lifted himself up and kicked the hoard of creatures down. They fell on top of each other with a few moans in the process. Dick jumped down thinking that the clumsy looking monsters were down for the count but they sprang up faster than he thought. He banged one over the head and butted one in the gut with his eskrima sticks but they just kept coming.

Tim jumped back blocking the monster each time it slashed at his chest. He ducked down and thrust the staff upward catching the creature by the chin. It made a loud cracking sound on contact and for a second the humanized being froze. Tim frowned as it cracked its neck to the side and looked back at him with a screech.

Tim's eyes widen behind the sunglasses and with a flick of his staff he turned the weapons electricity on. He hit his target in the gut and the creature stopped its onslaught and cried out causing Tim to cover his ears. The red of the monsters eyes dulled and crumbled into ash. Tim was stunned that something so simple like that would work.

"Nightwing. Electricity. They disintegrate under electricity," Tim shouted. Dick punch another creature out of the way and grabbed a Taser gun from his pocket. He shot the next creature and it turned into a cloud of ash. The two brothers in arms fought side by side punching and electrocuting their enemy. Tim stuck his electric staff into the gut of the last creature and it dissolved into ash. The two breathed heavily and turned to the sound of a thud. The girl dropped to the ground and sat to her knees while holding her head. Tim went to help her but Dick held him back. The older teen walked up to the girl cautiously and kneeled in front of her.

"Are you alright?" Dick asked. Up closed he now noticed the red gem upon the girl's head that gleamed as brightly as the creature's eyes and reached for it. The girl gasped and shooed his hand away. The movement made her lose her balance and she fell to the ground in unconsciousness. Dick lifted her up gently.

"Ok…what just happened?" Tim asked.

"I'm not really sure. I do know we need to get this girl somewhere secure. But we can't take her to the Watchtower and with the mountain out of commission I don't know where."

"How about the Tower," Tim suggested. Dick raised his eyebrow in confusion. "Oh yeah, I forgot you left before we got it. Well…we have a tower now."

Titan's Tower

August 23, 19:30 EST

Aqualad placed a box down on the bed adding to a few other opened boxes. He grabbed a frame from it and placed it on the windowsill where he got a clear view of the Empire State building. He traced the framed photo of the team during Wally's 16th birthday party.

Wally sat in the middle of the group with his face stuffed with cake and Artemis looked at him with a face of discuss. Robin and Zatanna stood to one side of Wally with M'gann on the other side. Conner stood behind her with a lopsided grin and Kaldur stood next to him with his own smile.

Those were the days he missed. When the team could just be themselves, without real secretes and comrades didn't die. A strong knock on the door took Aqualad from his thoughts. The Atlantean opened the door and a stack of bed sheets where pushed into his arms. Aqualad looked over the linen to thank the person.

Before him stood a dark skinned teen a few inches taller than himself. That's if you could call him a teen. Besides for most of his face and his short black hair the man's entire body was nothing but a machine. The teen glared at Aqualad with one brown eye and one cyberized red light.

"Thank you Victor. This is much appreciated," Kaldur said.

"Don't thank me. I'm just doing what I am told," Victor scoffed and walked down the hall. Aqualad sighed at the tension.

'Recognize Nightwing B01, recognize Robin B20, access granted unknown A14,' the computer announced. Aqualad's eyes widen with a smile. Two months after his friend's disappearance, Nightwing had returned. He made his way out the door just as Gar flew out of his own room as a parrot. He flew passed Victors head causing the teen to shout in announce and to trip. Aqualad walked up to Victor. He tried to help him up but Victor shrugged him off.

"I apologize for my friend. He is just excited to see one of our comrades has returned," Kaldur tried to explain. Victor just glared at him as he righted himself up; his body creaking as he strained. "Would you care to join us?"

"No," Victor said. Aqualad frowned and walked pass the brooding teen. A beeping sound rang in Victor's ear.

"Victor I need you down at the Zeta tubes for assistance," a man's voice said. Victor groaned but followed after Aqualad in silence.

YJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJY

The elevator opened for Aqualad, Victor and Gar; now in his human/monkey form. Superboy, M'gann, Wonder Girl, Blue Beatle, and Bart in his Kid Flash uniform stood around both Tim and Dick. The girl that the two found now laid on a gurney next to a man in a lab coat.

"Nightwing, it is good to see you again my friend," Aqualad said as he approached the group.

"Yeah," Dick said back. "I have to say. You have a good set up. Not very secure looking though."

"Don't be fooled my friend. This building was created by Dr. Stone to assist the Justice League a few months back," Aqualad said gesturing to the man in the lab coat. "The Tower is just a front to give us a place to live. Underneath us is 20 floors of secured steel and cement. Under that is our real command center."

"Ha. Now that sounds more like it," Dick laughed. Aqualad smiled.

"I see you have met Dr. Stone already," Aqualad said. The grey haired man walked up to Dick and gave him a hand shake.

"Hello Nightwing. It is an honor to finally meet you," Doctor Stone said.

"The honor is mine. I've followed you're work for a while. You're last paper on nanotechnology and the progressive breakthroughs of its use on the Mother Box."

"You've read my work?" Doctor Stone asked.

"Since I was 11. I used one of your hypothesis for a school science fair project," Dick said.

"This is Doctor Stone's son Victor," M'gann interrupted before the two could get into their science nerd discussion.

Nightwing turned to Victor and stuck his hand out to shake his hand. Victor just stared at it.

"Don't mind him," Gar started. "He's got a stick up his-" M'gann placed her hand over Gar's mouth with an embarrassing smile.

"Who's the girl?" Superboy asked as Victor walked over to the unconscious teen to help his father look her over.

"We rescued her from being sacrificed…I think," Dick said.

"You think?" Kid Flash asked with his hand on his hip. Dick looked the teen over in his uniform and frowned at the eerie similarities between Bart and Wally.

"Yeah," Tim interjected. "We fought off these four eyed freaks and rescued her. She passed out before we could ask her anything."

As Tim recounted the fight Dick looked around the room. He leaned over to M'gann.

"Where's Artemis?" he whispered.

"She's probably at home. She been doing the whole solo thing for the pass month or so," M'gann explained.

"Why?" Dick asked. He saw M'gann's eyes flick to Kid Flash who was laughing at something Blue Beatle said.

"I thought she said she was fine with it," Dick said catching M'gann's gaze.

"She was at first, but I think it just started to ware on her," M'gann said. The two's conversation was cut short as the girl on the gurney sat up with a gasp.

When Doctor Stone tried to help she pushed him hard causing him to fall to the ground. Victor growled and held his arm towards her. A small bright blue circle in the palm of his hand widen and the electric sound of a weapon charging echo through the large room.

"No wait," Dick said grapping Victor arm and pushing it away from her. Victor gave him a glare but lowered his hand; the circle shrinking until it closed altogether. Dick walked up to the teen to help her. She looked at him and grabbed his shoulders.

"You have to save me," she cried.

"We did. We saved you from those things," Tim said coming up next to Dick. She ignored him and continued to look into Dick's sunglasses.

"Keep me safe and I will bring back your friend. Back from the in between," she whispered to Dick. Dr. Stone stood up and grabbed a small syringed from his pocket and pricked the girls arm. A few seconds later she had slipped back into unconsciousness leaving Dick to stare at her in surprise.

Palo Alto

August 24, 12:16 PST

Artemis sat on her couch curled into a cup of coffee with Brucely at her feet. Brucely looked up just as the doorbell rang. He jump up barking and ran to the door. She placed her cup down and opened the door.

"Dick?" Artemis said in surprise. Dick took off his sunglasses.

"Hi," he said back. Brucely jumped up and down with a wag of his tail. "Hey boy," Dick said and patted the dog's head.

"You're back?" Artemis asked stepping to the side to let her longtime friend in. She closed the door behind her and they moved towards the couch.

"Not really. I just wanted to stop by. I heard that you've gone solo. That's kind of dangerous don't you think?"

"Look who's talking," Artemis said back.

"I didn't leave to fight on my own. I left to find a way to bring back-"

"Stop" Artemis cut him off. "Just…stop Dick. He's gone. Gone and never coming back."

"He's not gone Artemis. I told you already that matter can't just disappear. It has to turn into something else. He has to be out there somewhere."

"No he doesn't, he's dead," Artemis shouted. Brucely whimpered and walked into the other room with his tail between his legs. Artemis sighed.

"I just came here to tell you that I have a new lead, a new plan." Dick said quietly.

"Because all your plans work out so well. Like with Starfire," Artemis said. Dick flinched.

"That was different and you know it," he said in a whisper. Artemis looked away shamefully.

"I didn't mean that…I just want to put Wally to rest Dick. Everyone else did, why can't you?"

"Because he's my best friend and because I know he would have done the same if it was me. I promise I won't bother you with it anymore." Dick said and kissed Artemis's on the forehead. She closed her eyes and leaned into it; the warmth of his lips and gave her comfort for those few fleeting seconds. She didn't always agree with Dick but she missed him so much. They were the original two human's on the team with no specials tricks. Sometimes she felt like he was all she had left.

"Good bye Arty," Dick said and walked out the door.

Infinity Island

August 24, 12:30 ECT

Death Stroke stood against the wall. Next to him a girl dressed the exact same uniform as he did with long silvery hair sticking out from under her mask chewed on her gum loudly. A group of people sat at a table in the shadowed room in silence. The door to the room opened.

"Is it done?" Lex Luthor asked as he stormed in.

"They have made contact," Vandal Savaged answered.

"After all our setbacks these last five years we might actually be able to complete our plans," Queen Bee rejoiced.

"Indeed," The Brain said.

"Finally. I was starting to get bored," Klarion said rubbing Teekl's head causing her to purr.

"Even with losing the Superboy and the Red Arrow clone, the failure of Ocean Master, the rejection of the second Robin, the loss of Sports Master and Black Manta, and the disappointing partnership with the Reach, we are finally at our goal," Ra's Al Ghul stated. Behind him a large screen popped up and Darkseid appeared with a sneer; G. Gordon stood behind him.

Vandal Savage smiled. "All shall soon fall to the light."

**OK so that was chapter one. I know it starts of slow but I've got plenty of action scenes and many mysteries. **

**While I will try to write each chapter as fast as possible please do not expect a consistent release. My job's schedule is run on a weekly bases so I never know when I will have time to right and how long my hours are. I will try my best though.**

**Review Kindly xD**


	2. Complications

**Thank you for all your reviews everyone. I will try to work on my mistakes that you pointed out. That should have been something I should have found and fixed (oops) I hope this chapter is better xD**

Chapter 2: Complications

Titans Tower

August 24, 03:00 EST

The bedroom was enveloped in darkness. The only light that could be seen was the red digital numbers on the alarm clock next bed where Wolf; Superboy's mutated pet laid atop of. In the closet next to the bed Conner stood in the dark in closed space. His eyes were shut tight as he slept standing up in the small closet. He shook his head back and forth as he mumble incoherently. Sweat dripped down his neck and onto his black tank top.

"No," Superboy shouted walking himself up in the process. He looked around and opened the closet door letting the cool air of the bedroom to rush over him. Wolf looked up at him with worried eyes. Conner wiped the sweat from his brow.

"I'm fine boy," he reassured wolf and left his bedroom.

He made it to the large kitchen. It was a beautiful kitchen with all the latest equipment but sometimes Conner just missed the old one. The small kitchen that sat next to the den where he would help M'gann cook and still listen to the comforting sound of white noise from the T.V static.

Pushing the thoughts behind him he made a bee line for the refrigerator and opened it, allowing the cool air to wafer over him. He stuck his head on the fridge and closed his eyes.

"Conner?" he heard behind him and turned around and closed the fridge door in the process.

"M'gann," he said tensing up slightly. "What are you doing up?" he asked.

"I heard you," she said walking up to her boyfriend. Superboy gave her a small glare. "Not in your mind. I heard you when you walked down the hallway. Not everyone sleeps in a sound proof closet like you do."

"You know that I don't like sleeping vertically. I'm just more comfortable sleeping in a pod," he said.

"I know and I understand," M'gann said. She reached up and gently push back some of his hair from his face. Her hand touched his forehead and she gasped in concern. "Conner you're really warm," she said. Conner took her hand from his face and let it drop.

"It's fine. I'm probably catching something."

"You and I both know that it's impossible for you to get sick. Kryptonians can't get sick from earth viruses.

"I'm part human remember."

"You've never gotten sick before," M'gann said and reached for Conner again.

"I said I'm fine," Conner growled and tried to swat her hand away. He pushed her back and instead of a light tap M'gann flew backwards into the wall with a thud.

"M'gann," Conner cried in horror. He took a step forward and dropped to the ground curling up on himself in pain. M'gann groaned as she pulled herself from the wall and tried to stop the world from spinning in front of her. She finally focused enough to see Conner on the ground with his hands pressed up against his eyes.

M'gann flew to him and kneeled in front of him.

"Conner what's wrong? What's happening?"

"It's burning…my eyes, everything…it's all burning," Conner cried.

'_Kaldur, Cassie, anyone, help,"_ M'gann said through the link. M'gann held Conner's head up and gripped his writs.

"Let me see," she said pulling his hands from his face. Conner's hands dropped and he looked up at her but instead of his blue eyes she was met with red and she was once again blasted back by shots of heat from her boyfriend's eyes.

El Paso

August 24, 08:00 MST

Jamie slept on his bed, lightly snoring on his stomach and drool dripping from his lips. The door to his room opened slowly and a shadow creped along his wall. Still the teen hero didn't stir but turned over onto his back.

'_Jamie Reyes you are under attack,' _the scarab called out. Jamie opened his eyes quickly and twisted his body holding his arm out to create a cannon. The exoskeleton from the scarab reached just below his shirt before Jamie realized who it was.

'_Stop,'_ Jamie shouted in his head. The armor stopped and receded back into the scarab.

"Milagro, how many times have I told you to not come in my room without knocking," Jamie shouted at his. His little smiled and jumped on his bed.

"I did. You just didn't hear me," she said brushing her hair through her black pig tails held up by pink bows.

"That doesn't mean you can just come in."

"But mom told me to get you before you were late for the volunteer work at the animal shelter," Milagro said. Jamie blinked away his sleepiness and looked at his clock. His eyes widen at the time and he jumped out of bed. "Hey," his sister shouted.

"I'm so late," Jamie shouted. He ran into the bathroom and quickly brushed his teeth, combed some jell through his hair, and with a quick change of clothes ran downstairs. Jamie's father had the newspaper up to his face and Jamie's mother placed a cup of coffee on the table. His father reached for it but was snatched up by Jamie who gulped it down.

"Hot," Jamie shouted slamming the coffee down.

"Jamie Reyes that was not for you," his mother scolded.

"Sorry mom, I'm late," Jamie said. "By the way, you really told Milagro that I'm volunteering at the animal shelter?"

"Well we can't tell her that you are late for training with the Justice League, can we," his mother smiled. "She's 10 years old. She would tell every person she met."

"Still, the animal shelter?" Jamie questioned. His father laughed. Jamie looked at the clock on the wall and his eyes widen. "I'm going to be so late," Jamie shouted and opened up the back door.

"Mi'ijo, aren't you forgetting something," his father said. Jamie turned around and groaned.

"Right," he said and walked back to his mom and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Just remember to be home before dark," his mom shouted as Jamie slammed the door shut. Jamie looked around and when he saw no one around he transformed into Blue Beatle and flew off.

Back in Jamie's house his mother looked over at the counter and realized her son had forgotten his lunch bag. Grabbing it she ran outside and looked down the road surprise to not see him.

"When did he turn into the Flash?" his mother joked.

YJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJY

'Recognized Blue Beatle B22,' the computer announced. Jamie walked through the light inside the Titans tower and recalled his armor into the scarab. Unlike the other set of Zeta tubes that opened up at the first floor of the tower; these Zeta tubes were larger and opened up to an almost exact replica of the training room of Mount Justice.

"Hello?" he said wondering why the hall was empty. He was sure he wasn't that late for training. He walked down the hallway towards the medical facility. He saw Bart, Beast Boy, Robin, and Wonder Girl standing in the hallway in front of the medical room with both Sphere and Wolf.

"Hey Blue," Bart said in his Kidflash costume with the cowl down.

"Hey," he said back. "What's going on? Has training been cancelled?"

"Something's happened to Superboy," Cassie answered with a worried look. With a look of confusion Jamie looked over to the glass door that read 'medical wing'. The girl that Robin and Nightwing rescued sat in on her bed in the corner of the room hugging her knees. On the other side Conner laid on the hospital bed that was slightly propped up. He twisted in pain with sweat drenching his top. His eyes were wrapped in clothes with two silver disks under them on top of each eye and M'gann sat at his side wiping his head with a rag; her arm wrapped in bandages.

Doctor Stone walked over to Superboy and tried to stick him with a needle but only frowned as the needle bent and he placed it with the rest of the broken ones in a bowl. He looked over at Aqualad who stood next to him and shook his head.

"What happened?" Jamie asked. Bart shrugged his shoulders.

"He just kind of went crazy," Robin said. "Attacked Miss. M with heat vision." Wolf whimpered at Robin's words and laid down on the floor.

"Heat vision? When did Superboy start using heat vision?"

"That's what we can't figure out," Bart said.

'Recognized Superman 01' the computer broadcasted. A few seconds later the man of steel walked pass the teens and into the medical bay holding a small metal box.

"What's going on?" he asked. M'gann stood up as Superman moved in next to the bed.

"We thought maybe you could tell us," Kaldur said. Superman shook his head.

"It's like all his powers that he never had manifested all at once," M'gann said.

"He attacked Miss Martian with heat vision, froze the elevator with freeze breath on the way down, and he's been complaining about x-ray vision burning his eyes," Doctor Stone explain. "The only thing I do to relieve his pain wrap lead disks on top of his eyes to stop the x-ray vision. I've been trying to sedate him but as you can see…" Dr. Stone gestured to the broken needles. Superman placed his hand on Conner's arm.

"Aqualad asked me to bring this. I understand why now," Superman said and handed the box to Dr. Stone. The man nodded and opened the box. Superman took a few steps back as the doctor took out a small sliver of kryptonite.

Doctor Stone quickly cut Superboy's skin with it just above the vein in his arm. The teen growled in pain and cried out. M'gann gripped his arm in comfort not knowing what else to do. Placing the needle back in the led box the doctor swiftly took out another syringe and was finally able to get the sedative through the vein. A few seconds later Conner's labored breath died down into calm deep breathing.

"Thank you Superman," Kaldur said. Superman nodded and took back the lead box.

"Anything to help my brother," Superman said gripping Superboy's arm.

"What do we do now?" M'gann asked.

"I don't know," Doctor Stone said, all while the pale girl observed quietly from the corner of the room.

Blüdhaven

August 24, 13:16 EST

Dick, now donned in his Nightwing uniform complete with mask was currently looking through a microscope. He felt someone come up behind him and he smiled.

"Batgirl," he said.

"Nightwing," Batgirl said back and jumped up on the counter to sit next to him; her cape twisting under her.

"What brings you all the way to my humble abode?" Nightwing asked and looked up from the microscope.

"Just finished taking down some thugs part of a drug ring in Gotham. Lead me to one of their hideouts here in Blüdhaven and thought you might want a piece of the action."

"Thanks for the offer but I'm a little preoccupied at the moment."

Batgirl frowned and looked up to the monitor that was attached to what the microscope was seeing.

"What is it?" she asked looking at the ash like sample on the screen.

"I took a sample from one of the creatures that Robin and I fought the other day."

"Any conclusion."

"One…not from Earth."

"So we are dealing with a new alien species."

"Not necessarily. Could be magic in origin. I was going to ask Zee for her opinion later."

"What about the girl?" Batgirl asked. Nightwing walked to a keyboard and pressed a few buttons bringing up a picture of a girl on the screen.

"Her name is Rachel Roth. She disappeared a few months ago in New York City. Around the same time kids were being taken by the Reach," Nightwing said.

"You think she's one of the Reach's experiments?"

"If she was she wasn't with them for very long. She has no meta-gene," Nightwing said showing Rachel's regular DNA on the screen. "She might just have been at the wrong place at the wrong time."

A buzzing sound from Nightwing's cellphone turned him from the screen. He looked at the phone and his eyes widen.

"Dick? What is it?" Barbra asked.

"It's Conner."

Littleville

August 24, 16:16 MST

Blue Beatle, Wonder Girl and Kid Flash all stood in the lobby of the clinic Robin and Nightwing had found Rachel in. Beast Boy in a capuchin form dropped from the rafters and changed into his human/monkey hybrid.

"This is so boring," Beat Boy complained.

"What do you expect? They wanted us out of the tower," Kid Flash said.

"But Superboy is going to be alright isn't he?" Jamie asked.

'_That is uncertain,_' the scarab answered. '_I was monitoring his vitals and they were not nominal. Without change there is a 10% chance of survival._"

"I wasn't asking you," Jamie said out loud. The three other heroes looked at him with questioning looks. Blue Beatle laughed awkwardly.

"He will be fine," Aqualad said coming into the room with Robin behind him. Wonder Girl walked up to her boyfriend.

"Did you find anything new?" she asked.

"I scanned the area with my gloved computer. There isn't much but there is a small amount of residual energy. Of what, I can't tell," Robin said.

"Did you find anything down here?" Kaldur asked.

"Nope, just some trash," Kid Flash said. Kaldur narrowed his eyes and walked pass the group. He walked up to the wall behind them and touched it, rubbing his fingers over some red graffiti that looked like a broken "S" with some extra markings. He pulled his fingers away and they came back red. He sniffed his hand and looked back at the team.

"This is blood," he said. "I told you to look for anything suspicious. Weird symbols written in blood on the wall is considered suspicious.

"We thought it was just graffiti," Beast Boy said.

"You cannot just assume. Everything must be taken into account," Kaldur said. Robin walked passed him began to take a sample of the blood.

"Sorry Aqualad," Beast Boy said. Kaldur sighed.

"I know you are all worried about Conner but when you are on a mission your full attention must be in the moment. I have already seen to many people die that way."

A sound of glass breaking outside stopped Kaldur's lecture. Everyone froze before the entire clinic was engulf in a blast of flames.

Blue Beatle flew upwards through the smoke with Aqualad in his arms. Beast Boy as a falcon flew pass him with Wonder Girl at his side. In each of her hands was Kid Flash and Robin. The three and Aqualad were covered in burns and bruises but were fine overall.

Kaldur looked down at the burning building. In front of the building Deathstroke stood straight with his arms crossed. A girl stood next to him dressed in the same attire as he did complete with two swords across her back.

"Ravager, take them down," Deathstroke said. With a smile the girl unsheathed her sword and ran after them.

"What is she doing?" Wonder Girl asked. Ravager stopped and pulled her sword back and with a shout she threw the sword up at the group. It spun in the air a few times before making contact with Blue Beatles wing. Jamie shouted as the sword made him fly off kilter.

'_We are going to crash if you do not regain control,_' the scarab said.

"I know that," Jamie growled.

"Blue Beatle put me down. I will be able to land myself," Aqualad said.

"What?" Blue Beatle shouted.

"Just do it."

Blue Beatle let go of his leader and watched as Aqualad dropped back down to earth. Aqualad took out his water bearers and held them out. Water from a fire hydrant burst upwards and was pulled towards the Atlantian. Kaldur made the water form underneath him and he used it to cushion his landing. He turned to where Blue Beatle was and watched as the teen crashed into a building.

The people who worked on the floor of the building Blue Beatle crashed into saw him before he hit them. Running from there cubicles they made it to the back wall just as the Blue armored hero rammed into the glass. He landed on his back and groaned in pain.

Some of the people took out there cellphones and began to take pictures of the incident as one of the workers walked up to him.

"Are you alright? The woman asked.

"Just peachy," Jamie said back and slowly stood up. He spread his wings and grabbed the one that was hit; working out the kinks that bent it in an odd angle. He flapped them up and down but could not get it to lift him.

"Guys I'm going to need a lift," Blue Beatle said through his com-link.

Back with Aqualad, Wonder Girl dropped Kid Flash and Robin next to him and Beat boy transformed out of his bird form.

"Why is Deathstroke here?" Wonder Girl asked.

"It doesn't matter," Kaldur said. "Robin, Beast Boy and Kid Flash head to the Zeta Tube. Wonder Girl go retrieve Blue Beatle and meet up with them.

"What?" Kid Flash started. "But what about you?"

"Deathstroke is probably after me for ruining the Light's plans. He will leave you alone. Go."

Robin after spending so many missions with Batman knew when to follow the rules. He turned to leave and saw that Kid Flash and Beast boy weren't moving.

"Let's go guys," he said and placed his hand on their shoulders. Wonder Girl flew off and went for the building where Blue Beatle stood at the edge of the window waving for her. As she neared the building Blue Beatle jumped into the air with his arms up and the blonde teen grabbed them.

"Where are we going? The fights the other way," Blue Beatle asked.

"We were ordered to fall back. We are heading back to the Zeta Tubes," Wonder Girl said. She landed in front of a porta potty that was the city's secret zeta tube. She looked around in confusion.

"We have to go back and help," Blue Beatle said. He saw the confusion on Wonder Girls face. "What are you looking for?

"Where are the boys?" She asked.

"They are indisposed for the moment," a cool voice said behind the two. They turned and faced Ravager. Her sword was already out and ready; blood dripped down the blade.

"Robin," Wonder Girl whispered to herself. "What did you do to my friends," Wonder Girl shouted.

"Don't worry they are fine," Ravager smiled. "I don't need to kill any of you, just need to keep you out of the way so my father can deal with that traitor."

"Your father? Death Stroke has a daughter?" Blue Beatle said in disbelief.

"It doesn't matter. We are going to take you down," Wonder Girl said before charging her enemy.

Back with Aqualad, the Atlantian had his water bearers up and ready for Deathstroke as the man walked up to him.

"I knew sooner or later this would happen. I am prepared for our fight and have been waiting eagerly," Kaldur said.

"I have been waiting for our fight as well, but it will not be happening today," the mercenary said. Kaldur lowered his weapons in confusion. "It would be simple enough to kill you right now but my employer would not like that."

"Your employer is the Light. Why would they not let you kill me?"

"The light is beginning to divide. Through the years there plans have been changed and not everyone is in agreement to the new end game."

"Then they are disbanding the Light," Kaldur said.

"No, my employer is going along with the rest of the plan. They are working from the inside, like you did. They wanted me to inform you that the final stages are in motion. If they succeed the earth and all those that live on it will be doomed."

"What are they planning?"

"Not yet. They want to see how all the pieces are being set up. Once they have everything we will meet again. Until then, you are not to tell about this meeting. We all know how well you can keep a secret."

Aqualad flinched at the mock. "Why would I keep this meeting a secret?"

"If you don't, then the next time we meet will be for me to kill you instead of giving you the information. You are to tell everyone that we battled and that you escaped."

Kaldur heard a shuffle behind him and Ravager walked pass him and took a stand next to her father.

"Your little teen club needs to be trained. That was the most boring fight I've ever had," the girl mocked. Deathstroke smiled and pressed a button on his com-link.

"Pick us up," he said into the link. He looked back at Aqualad. "If a scarab warrior, a speedster, a changeling, an Amazonian warrior, and Batman's protégé can't even defeat my daughter then they are not even close to being able to fight what is to come. Prepare them traitor or they won't survive this war."

A helicopter flew up from behind the buildings and lowered a ladder. The two grabbed a hold of it and left Aqualad on the street below.

YJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJ

M'gann was asleep on the chair next to Conner. The heart monitor continued its steady beeping as the Kryptonian slept in his sedated state. Nightwing frowned at the sight, stumped just as much as the rest of the group.

"I can save your friend," Nightwing heard behind him. He turned around and faced Rachel; the girl he saved. She sat up straight, her hands folded atop of her lap.

"You can help him?" Nightwing asked pointing to Conner. Rachel shook her head.

"No, not him…I meant the one stuck in the in between. The one with the flame colored hair.

"Wally," Nightwing said and walked up to her bed. "Rachel are you the one who sent me that vision? The one of my friend, the one telling me where to find you?"

"Yes. And my name is not Rachel. It's Raven," she said. Nightwing looked at her in uncertainty.

"I checked your DNA. It's the same as Rachel's," he said.

"That is because I took her body as my host. I came to your world through a rift and found her body in an ally way. She was already dead and so I took her body as my own," Raven explained.

"My world?" Nightwing asked.

"I come from a world known as Azarath. I am on the run from a very power demon and only you can help me," she said. "The name Nightwing has been spread across worlds in whispers. They say you help those in need. I know that you won't trust me at first which is why I am prepared to make a contract."

"A…contract?" Nightwing questioned.

"Yes. I will make a contract with you. If you keep me hidden from the man I am running from, then I will help you retrieve your friend."

"And if either one of us doesn't hold up their end of the contract, what happens?"

"Immense pain and suffering," Raven said nonchalantly.

"We don't have to do this contract," Nightwing said. "If you help me I'll help you."

"Just like I know that you do not fully trust me, I do not fully trust you. Stories of you have not always been…positive," Raven said.

Nightwing looked at her skeptically. She stuck her hand out and waited for Nightwing to take it. After a few seconds of hesitation he lifted his arm up to her. She grabbed his forearm and he grabbed hers. She closed her eyes and looked up.

"I make the contract to this man. I will help him recover his friend for which he seeks and he shall make it that the demon that carries the name Trigon will never set eyes on me. This vow I do solemnly swear," Raven said and looked at Nightwing.

"Oh umm, this vow I do solemnly swear," Nightwing wavered. Raven closed her eyes again.

"Azarath metrion zinthos," she spoke. Her eyes opened and glowed white. Nightwing felt his arm burn where Raven gripped it. He tried to shake her off but his arm felt paralyzed. As quickly as it started it had ended.

Raven let go and Nightwing pulled his sleeve up. Instead of the burn he was expecting there was a black marked symbol where Raven's hand met his skin; the same marking that was found painted on the walls of the clinic he found Raven in. He looked down at her arm and saw the same marking.

"Is that it?" he asked in surprise.

"It is done. To save your friend you must find Gabriel's Horn. That will be your first task in opening up the rift to the in between.

**Review kindly xD**


	3. Keeping Secrets

**Well you can thank the lovely storm that hit the east coast for this chapter coming out so fast. Work was closed and after shoveling for a few hours I spent the rest of the day on this. **

**And thank you geekdad for that review. I spent a lot of time and research on all my YJ stories and for someone to actually notice makes me feel like I actually accomplished something (even through all my terrible grammar and spelling mistakes)**

Chapter 3: Keeping Secrets

Mount Justice

August 29, 01:16 EST

Year 4

Aqualad looked up at the newly made holographic memorial of Aquagirl with a large duffle bag at his side. Aqualad went to touch it and watch her picture phase around his hand.

"The hardest part is realizing you'll never get to touch her again," Kaldur heard behind him. He turned to see Nightwing looking up at the memorialized hologram of the second Robin.

"She wasn't suppose to die. She was protecting me. My head was not in the game," Kaldur said. Nightwing walked over to Aqualad.

"We all protect each other. That's our job."

"If I wasn't so caught up in what I just found out-"

"Finding out that Black Manta is your father would be a big deal for anyone, you know that. And now we can use that to our advantage."

"This plan of yours is reckless my friend. Even for you," Aqualad said.

"But it's our best shot. Getting upset that Aquaman never told you about your father, blaming the Justice League for the loss of Tula, Finding out that Prince Orm is really Ocean Master. I can't see why Black Manta wouldn't believe that you want to get revenge.

"It will be difficult, not only for me but for you as well. You will be with our friends and they can never know. Not until the time is right."

"I know. I will try to lead in your absence but I know that I will never be able to measure up to the leader known as Aqualad," Nightwing joked.

"Then it is time that I depart," Aqualad said and held his hand out. Nightwing gripped it tight as the hologram of Aquagirl loomed over them.

"Just make it look believable," Nightwing said taking in a deep breath and stood straight. Aqualad nodded and punched Nightwing in the gut. Dick doubled over in pain and passed out. Aqualad grabbed him and slowly let him drop to the ground.

"I am sorry my friend. I am hopeful someone will be down here soon," Aqualad said and grabbed his duffle bag to leave.

Metropolis

August 29, 13:30 EST

Lex sat at his desk at the top of his Lexcorp tower. Mercy handed him a piece of paper when the phone rang. Lex pressed the speaker phone.

"I told you I didn't want to be disturbed," Lex said.

"Yes Mr. Luthor," the voice said on the phone hesitantly. "But there is someone here who wants to meet with you."

"Who is it? It better be important."

"It's…Superman sir…and a girl."

Lex looked up at Mercy with curiosity.

"Let them in," he said with a sly smile. A few seconds later Superman walked through the door followed by M'gann disguised in her human skin.

"It's nice to have you walking through my door instead of punching through my glass windows for once," Lex laughed. Superman glared at the man and he and M'gann walked closer to the desk. Mercy put herself in between them and her boss.

"It's alright Mercy. They aren't here to start anything. They just need my help. Isn't that right, Superman," Lex asked.

"We know you did something to him," M'gann said.

"You are going to have to be more specific my dear. I did a lot of something's to a lot of hims," Lex joked. M'gann took a step forward but was held back by the man of steel who continued to stare at his arch nemesis.

"Superboy is in trouble," Superman finally said. Lex's smile dimmed. "It seems that he did have the potential for all of my powers, and he received them all last week…at once. He can't take all of the stress."

"And you came here to tell me this because?" Lex asked.

"We might be on opposite sides of the law but we are connected by Superboy. You are technically his father and he needs your help," Superman pleaded his case.

Lex Luthor scratched his chin in thought.

"You do have a point. I spent a lot of money on him. It would be a shame if he died so early."

M'gann growled at the man.

"Then you can make him the way he was before?" Superman asked.

"No, I don't have a way to get rid of his new powers," Lex started and Superman's hope dropped. "But I might be able to give you something that will allow him to control it."

"You do?" M'gann asked hopefully.

"Of course," Lex said and stood up. "But of course there is something that I will want in return."

"I won't do anything illegal for you Lex," Superman said.

"No nothing like that," Lex laughed. "I simply want to meet with Superboy again. Just the two of us. If you can promise me that, then I will give it to you."

"You can't be serious-" M'gann started.

"That's fine," Superman cut the Martian off. Luthor smiled and walked over to a small painting. He swung it open with a hinge and revealed a small safe. It scanned his eye and opened with a hiss. He grabbed a tube filled with purple liquid and walked over to Superman.

"What is it?" Superman asked.

"It's a suppresser. I was creating super soldiers for the military when we realized that all that extra strength and intelligence were make them go insane. Giving them this suppresser allowed the soldiers to control there new found powers. It might work on Superboy."

Superman took the vile and nodded a thank you to Lex. As they left the office Lex smiled.

"Why did you let him talk about Superboy like that," M'gann asked the man of steel when they left the building.

"If I began to argue with Lex about how he talked about Superboy or with meeting with him he would never give me this," he said holding up the vial.

"Do you really think it's going to work," M'gann asked.

"There is only one way to find out," Superman said and the two of them flew into the sky.

Cambridge

August 29, 15:00 EST

"Aqualad is going to have my head for this," Dick said in his civilian clothes and sunglasses. He flew over the city in Miss Martians camouflaged Bio-ship with Raven seated next to him dressed in the same knee length blue dress as before.

"You did not have to take me," Raven said.

"It took me a week to find this…Gabriel's horn. I am not losing it because I don't know anything about it," Nightwing said.

"How are you sure that this man has it?" Raven asked.

"I researched him. His name is Jason Blood. He's one of the leading experts on occult and demonology. The horn he has in his research papers matches the description that you gave me."

"And does your teammates know that you are taking me along with you?" Raven asked.

"No. They still think your Rachel. I told them I'm taking you back home to try and find your family."

"Another lie, another secret. The whispers about you are true," Raven said.

"Yeah, another secret. I'm just full of them," Nightwing said and flew the Bio-ship down into the city.

The two of them passed the oak sign that read 'Harvard University'. They walked through the campus filled with students and made there way to a door that read Professor Blood. Dick knocked on the door and a man's voice answered of 'come in.'

"Hi Professor Blood. I'm Freddy Loyd, we talked on the phone," Dick said. The black haired man with a white strip running down the side was in the middle of reading a large text book and placed it down as the two entered the room.

"Ah yes please come in Mr. Loyd. Please call me Jason," the professor said. The two shook hands.

"Only if you call me Freddy," Dick laughed. "And this is my research partner Rachel."

"It is very nice to meet you," Jason said and shook Raven's hand. "A little young to be a college student aren't you."

"I am smart for my age," Raven said lightly. Jason eyed the small gem on Raven's forehead but didn't say anything about it.

"Well what can I help you with?" He asked instead.

"We saw the horn in your research papers and thought it will be a great addition to our paper on musical instruments in Christian mythology."

"Ah yes, the nameless horn that I found in the old part of Rome years ago," Jason said. He turned around and grabbed a large brief case from behind him. He placed it on the desk and opened it revealing the horn. It was plated gold with markings that resembled that of the marks that Raven created on her and Nightwing's skin. "Unfortunately nothing is really known about it. Not even what it sounds like."

"Is it broken?" Dick asked.

"I don't think so. One of the only things that we were able to decipher about it is that the only person that can get it to play music is a hero that plays a false hero," the professor said.

"That doesn't help much," Dick said.

"Sorry, what doesn't that help with?" Jason asked.

"Oh sorry, just thinking out loud," Dick apologized.

"Yes well, it's a priceless artifact none the less," the man said and shut the brief case.

"Wait," Dick said. The man looked up at him and waited. Dick faltered. "Well I was wondering if…maybe we can…borrow it."

"Borrow it," Jason laughed. "If I could I would but it's not mine to give. It belongs to the institution. They would never let something like this out of their sights."

"I…I understand," Dick said dejected. He left the room and Raven took one last look at the professor who gave her an apologetic look. She followed after Dick.

"What is your next move?" Raven asked as they walked down the hallway.

"I might be able to pay the school for it but that could take months and raise some suspicion. Why would someone want a nameless horn so badly that they would pay the school for it," Dick said.

Then we steal it," Raven said. Dick stopped walking.

"I don't steal unless it's from the bad guys."

"Well you're in luck. I have no such moral code. We made a pact. If you kept me safe I help you find your friend. Gabriel's horn is the only way I know how. I will steal it."

Dick sighed. Tonight was going to be a long night.

Titan's Tower

August 29, 19:16 EST

"This was an irrational choice," Batman said to Superman as the stood in front of Superboy's bed. "Making a deal with Luthor like that could cause consequences."

"He was the first person I could think of that might be able to help him," Superman said.

"Don't blame him Batman. I was the one who encouraged him," M'gann said at the side of the bed. Superman turned to Dr. Stone.

"How long is this going to take?" Superman asked the doctor.

"I don't know. I've given him the suppressor but it could take days."

M'gann looked down as she held onto Superboy's arm. It had been hours since they gave him the suppressant and there was still no changes.

"Does he have that long to wait for it to work?" M'gann asked. She was met with silence from the three men.

"He's strong," Batman said. "And he already made it this far."

A small groan had the four turn their attention to Superboy who slowly shook his head like he was coming out of a bad dream.

"What's going on? Why can't I see?" Conner asked slowly pulling his hands up to the wrapping covering the lead over his eyes.

"Conner," M'gann gasped giving her boyfriend's arm a tight squeeze.

"Don't take it off," Superman said when he saw Conner trying to remove the bandages from his eyes.

"What happened?" Conner asked.

"It seems that you have gotten all of my powers. It was too much though and we had to sedate you."

"We found something that would help you control it," M'gann said. Conner lifted himself up and reached for the bandages again. M'gann stood up and helped him take it off and the led disks dropped to his lap. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the four others in the room.

"How do you feel?" Superman asked.

"Tired but…" Superboy closed his eyes and when he reopened them he was able to see the skeletal structure of the three men in front of him. He turned to M'gann and saw her heart beating at an anticipating pace. He blinked again and everything was back to normal. "I think I'll be alright."

"Oh that's great," M'gann said and grabbed her boyfriend into a hug. "I don't think I could lose you. Not again." Scratching from the door had everyone turn to the glass and Conner smiled at the sight of Wolf clawing at the entrance and sphere rolling around happily.

YJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJY

Dressed in his Nightwing uniform Dick kneeled in front of Professor Blood's office. It was locked and he was in the process of unlocking it.

"Do you need help," he heard Raven whisper behind him. He turned around quickly.

"How did you do that," he asked. "No one has snuck up on me like that in a long time."

Raven just stared at the former boy wonder. Nightwing sighed.

"I told you to stay in the Bio-ship. And what are you wearing?" he asked taking in her dress. It was the same knee length dress but it was ripped down both sides of her thighs and a black hooded cape enveloped her face; the red gem glimmering under the hood.

"It was difficult to move freely in and I needed something to hide my identity," Raven said. "And I can't just stay in the Bio-ship. I have to hold my end of the contract. I have to help you."

"Fine just stay quiet and do what I say," Nightwing said and went back to picking the lock.

"Azarath metrion zinthos," Raven whispered as she pointed to the door knob. The lock clicked and the door snapped open. Nightwing froze and looked up at Raven. She gave him a sly smile and walked into the office.

Nightwing walked in after her and went behind the desk where he found the brief case. He put it on the desk and opened it. The horn sat in the case glowing a faint golden light.

"So what now. I just blow in it and my friend comes back?" Nightwing asked.

"You heard the professor. Only a hero playing a false hero can get the horn to play."

"That's just a myth."

"So is the horn itself, yet here it is," Raven said. Nightwing put it to his mouth to the horn anyway and blew into it. Not a single note left the horn.

"What are you doing," the two heard behind them. Jason Blood stood at the door. The look of pure shock was written on his face when he saw the horn in Nightwing's hands. "Put that down."

"Sorry, can't do that," Nightwing said.

"Then I can't let you leave," Jason said and closed the door behind him. "Change, change the form of man. Free the prince forever damned. Free the might from fleshy mire. Boil the blood in heart of fire. Gone, gone the form of man, Rise the demon Etrigan!" Jason cried.

"What?" Nightwing said as the wind picked up around him. Raven looked at Jason in surprise as she held her hood in place against the wind. Papers and books got picked up by the storm and surrounded Jason. The man roared and his face began to morph and his body bulked up in muscle ripping his suit in the process.

When the wind finally died down Jason Blood no longer stood in front of the door but a large creature stood in his place. His skin now looked like it was made of stone and horns protruded from his now bald head. He opened his mouth baring his fangs.

"Etrigan?" Raven whispered in awe.

"Put it down," the beast shouted in a deep throaty voice. Nightwing put the horn down and pulled out his eskrima sticks.

"What are you?" Dick asked.

"I am the demon of hell and son of Belial. I am the keeper of those that cannot be in the hands of mortals including the unnamed horn.

"I need it. I will return it when I'm done with it," Nightwing pleaded.

"You won't need it if you are dead," Etrigan said. He held his hand up and flames surrounded both Nightwing and Raven. Nightwing tried to get around it but the flames just rose hirer and turned blue in color as it became hotter.

"Raven a little help here," Nightwing said. The girl had backed up from her own flames. She finally closed her eyes and when she reopened them they were white.

"Azarath metrion zinthos," she said. Her body was engulfed in a dark purple light that expanded out into a shape of a bird's wings. She held her fingers up and the light pushed against the flames extinguishing them in the process. Etrigan turned to the girl in surprised.

"You used the sacred words," he growled. "And you were able to douse my hell fire."

Raven pulled her hood down showing her gem that now glowed a bright red and purple light.

"It was child's play," she said back. Nightwing grabbed Gabriel's horn and attached it to his belt. He walked next to Raven ready to fight the monster.

"I knew the gem on your head from earlier reminded me of something. You are a priestess of Azarath. What are you doing with a human host on Earth?" Etrigan asked in his deep voice.

"I am helping this person find his friend. He is stuck in the in between and the instrument you carry is Gabriel's horn."

"I did not know. I just knew the markings were from Azarath and that I couldn't let a human have it."

"I know. I hope that you will let us have it. We will be finding its true owner. Your mission of keeping it safe is over," Raven said. Etrigan looked at Nightwing and then back at Raven. He closed his eyes and morphed back into Jason Blood.

"I apologize on behalf of the demon," he said.

"Your apology is accepted. I am happy to know Etrigan is in capable hands" Raven said.

Jason looked over at Nightwing.

"You will take care of her," he said. Nightwing nodded his head. Jason sighed and opened the door allowing the two out of his office. Nightwing didn't want to take any chances of Jason changing his mind. He grabbed Raven's hand and walked out the door.

They made it to the bio-ship on the outskirts of the town and Nightwing stopped.

"What was that thing?" He asked Raven.

"That was the demon Etrigan. The last I had heard of him he was helping Merlin keep Camelot safe from the enchantress Morgana. I was told he was bonded to one of the Knights of the Round Table. That man must have been Jason Blood."

"But that would make him…"

"Centuries old. Yes," Raven said.

"And how old are you?" Nightwing asked.

"Older than I look. Azarath's time moves differently from your dimension."

"Are you going to be able to get back there after all this?"

"I could but I wouldn't want to. I am the only survivor after the demon Trigon destroyed it," she said. Nightwing looked at her with pity.

"And that's why you want me to help keep him away from you," Nightwing said. Raven gave him a slow nod and looked away. Tears were beginning to well up in her eyes. Nightwing wrapped his arms around her, surprising Raven.

"What?" she started.

"I know how it feels to lose the ones you love. I've lost my own family and many of my friends. I promise to keep you safe. Even if I wasn't obligated to," he laughed. Raven gave him a soft smile and spotted Gabriel's horn attached to his hip.

"We have the horn," she said.

"Yeah," Nightwing said and grabbed it. He suddenly felt pain well up his arm and he dropped the horn. Raven also gripped her arm in pain and cried out. The pain subsided and Nightwing pulled up his sleeve. The marking that was near his elbow had grown in size traveling up his arm. He looked at Raven's and saw that it had done the same.

"The spell grows as it marks our progress," Raven said. "It is normal."

"Yeah…normal. AS long as it mean we're on the right track to saving Wally," Nightwing said grabbing the horn from the ground.

"Am I to go back to the medical facilities?" Raven asked.

"I think you earned your own room when we get back. I will have to run by it with Aqualad and the Justice League but I think I can say welcome to the team," he smiled and Raven smiled back as he helped her into the ship.

Watchtower

August 30, 02:16 EST

Tigress stood with her arm in a sling in front of the large hologram of Kid Flash. His eyes stared into the distance and his arms stood to his side. Kaldur came up behind Artemis and took a stand next to her.

"I was told once that the worse part of it, is that you will never be able to touch him again."

"Sounds pretty correct to me," Artemis said; her voice scratchy from holding back tears. "I'm starting to forget his warmth Kaldur. I listen to his voice on videos and his old sweat shirt still smells like him but I just can't feel him anymore."

"I know," Kaldur said and pulled Tigress into a hug. When he pulled away he looked at her arm.

"You are hurt," he pointed out.

"Yeah. Some bad guys got the drop on me. My head just wasn't in the fight."

"That seems to be going around lately," Aqualad said.

"I heard about last week. Deathstroke and a mini Deathstroke got the better of the team."

"They have some scrapes and bruises but they've all had worse. I think their ego's got the worst of it," Kaldur joked.

"So what brings you to my pity party?"

"I too come here with my thoughts. Even though she cannot talk back to me, I feel like Tula still gives me advice," Kaldur said looking up at Tula.

"Well, maybe I can help. Shoot," she said giving Kaldur her full attention.

"I cannot burden you with my problems."

"After all we've been through, I think I can take some of your burden."

Aqualad gave her a hesitant look.

"It must remain between the two of us," he said.

"Of course. You know I'm good with secrets."

"Deathstroke told me something interesting that will change the outcome with our war with the Light, one way or another."

**Next chapter is going to have a lot of flashbacks so cross fingers that I can write it well enough that everyone won't get all confused. **

**Review kindly xD**


	4. Together

**Chapter 4 out and another snow storm on the way. I might have a second chapter by the end of the end of next week.**

**So there are some flashbacks in this chapter. It's set up a little different from when I do my other flashbacks. I usually do what year it's set up in when it's just the setting, but when it's someone's own memory I did it a little differently. You'll see when you read it. **

Chapter 4: Together

Yellowstone National Park

September 6, 14:16 MDT

The Bio-ship landed in the middle of the woods. The back opened up and Artemis, M'gann, and Zatanna walked out in there civilian clothing. Behind them Tim, Cassie, Bart, Jamie, La'gaan, Virgil, Gar, and Victor all walked out also in there civilian clothing. After them Raven slowly walked out in a light blue tang top, short tan shorts, and brown hiking boots.

"Let's go," M'gann said. The team followed her with groans of protest.

"Why are we doing this again?" Beast Boy complained.

"After what happened in Littleville, you all need the training," Artemis said.

"But I wasn't even there," Static said.

"Neither was I," La'gaan said.

"This isn't just about Littleville," Artemis said. "This has to do with trusting each other. Things are in motion and if you can't work together as a team, then there is no team."

"I'm not part of the team. Why am I here?" Victor said, glaring with his one human eye.

"Whether you like it or not you are a part of it," Zatanna said. "As long as you live in the same building you need to all learn to get along and work together."

Victor gave the magical user his best glare but it didn't seem to faze her a bit. She continued to smile as she led the group through the trees.

"Whoa," Jamie said as he looked up at a large volcano looking mountain.

"Welcome to the first place I went on a mission with the team," Zatanna laughed.

"This is where you fought Red Volcano, isn't it?" Tim asked.

"That's right," Zee said.

"And now it has become a great place to do team building exercises," Artemis said.

"Let's do this," Cassie said flying into the air.

"Down," Artemis said pointing to the ground. With a confused look Wonder Girl flew back down.

"No weapons, no suits, and no powers," M'gann explained. The group made a collected groan except for Robin, Raven, and Victor. "Come on guys it will be fun. Now follow me to your first challenge."

Robin looked over to Raven who was busy staring up at the trees.

"How are you liking Earth so far?" the teen asked.

"It is interesting. The trees are much taller than the place I am from," she said looking back down at Robin.

"Really? All Nightwing told us is that you're from another dimension. Any particular reason why you came here?"

Raven gave the teen a glare.

"Nightwing told me some of you would try and pry into my business but I didn't think it would be you," she said.

"No, wait, that's not what I meant," Tim tried to explain. Raven didn't let him finish as she walked away.

"Robin hurry up," Wonder Girl shouted and with a sigh of defeat, Tim caught up with the rest of the group.

The sun was beginning to set as M'gann, Artemis, and Zatanna sat on their foldable chairs enjoying the quiet sounds of the woods; the volcano that they created while fighting the Reds behind them. They looked up as the silence was broken of the team crashing through the trees covered in sweat and panting. Jamie fell to the ground along with Bart and Gar.

"I am so feeling the mode right now," Bart complained earning a nod from Jamie.

Artemis pulled out a stop watch.

"Not bad. I thought it would take you another hour to finish the run. Maybe we should tack on another mile or two?" She asked M'gann.

"No!" The team shouted.

"I think six miles is enough for now," Zatanna said and grabbed a bunch of water bottles from a cooler next to her. She threw them at the teens and they all guzzled down their drinks.

"Maybe it's time to move onto the next part of the training," M'gann laughed.

"Fine," Artemis said with a sigh. She grabbed her small cross bow from the side of her jeans and aimed it up in the trees. With a click it released into the air and landed almost at the top of one of the large Pine trees.

The teens straightened up in curiosity.

"Get the arrow," Artemis said to them.

"On it," Gar said and changed into a small monkey and began to climb.

"Beast Boy stop," M'gann said. The changeling turned around and jumped off the tree.

"What did we tell you," Artemis said. Beast boy turned back into his human/monkey hybrid and looked to the ground.

"No weapons, suits or powers," he said in disappointment. He sighed and turned back around. He tried to hug the tree but couldn't even reach around it. With no branches he tried to shimmy up but even as a half monkey he wasn't able to get a good grip and he slid back down. Cassie, La'gaan, Virgil, Bart, and Jamie laughed loudly. Tim walked over and helped Beast Boy up.

"This is impossible without something to help us," Jamie said. "Do you have climbing gear?" he asked the older girls.

"Nope, no gear," Zatanna said. She looked at her watch and then turned to behind her.

"Nrut siht etis otni a pmac dnuorg htiw stnet dna a erif," she said and before them a fire pit with logs to sit on appeared before them with a bunch of tents.

"What's this?" La'gaan asked.

"Well training isn't over until you get the arrow," Artemis said. "The three of us booked a hotel on the outskirts of the woods. We're going to spend the night there and you guys can all stay here until you are able to get it."

"What," Jamie cried.

"There is no way I'm stay here in the woods. I'm leaving," Victor said and began to walk towards the Bio-Ship.

"No you're not," Artemis said and grabbed his shoulder from behind. The Cyborg turned around quickly. His arm had turned into a cannon and he shot at Artemis just narrowly missing her as she dodged out of the way. The blue light blasted the dormant volcano creating a small crater in the process. He looked down at his arm. The cannon shrunk away and his hand reformed. When he looked back up he was met with silence but saw that everyone had positioned themselves for a fight.

"I…I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I didn't mean that. I still can't control it sometimes." He bowed his head in shame and kneeled to the ground.

M'gann walked over to him and kneeled in front of him.

"Victor, while this team _was_ created to do stealth missions for the league, it also has another function," she said softly. Victor looked up at the Martian. "It has also become a place where those that are gifted and want to keep the world safe can learn to control their abilities and find others like them." Victor looked up at the group and saw that they have relaxed in posture and even got a few smiling faces from Bart and Tim.

Victor nodded and slowly stood up.

"That was so cool," Beast Boy said and bounced up to the cyborg. "You were all like pew, pew and Artemis was all like ahhhh."

"I was not," Artemis said and placed her hands on her hips.

"As we were saying," Zatanna said as she pulled out cell phone and threw it to Tim. "We are just a few miles away with the Bio-Ship. Just call if you need us. Get to know each other and maybe you can come up with a solution to getting that arrow."

Artemis reached into a small back pack and pulled out hotdogs, tofu dogs, and marshmallows.

"And we'll know if you used your powers," Artemis said and handed the bags to Wonder Girl. The three older members left in the Bio-Ship leaving the team to their own devises.

No one notice the cracks spreading down from the crater in the mountain left by Victor's weapon.

After the sun had set and the team ate there dinner, they sat around the fire in thought.

"Maybe we can tie a rock around some vines and try to loop it around the arrow?" Jamie suggested looking up at the tree from his spot.

"There aren't any vines long enough," Tim said holding a marshmallow up to the flames.

"Well maybe we should do the other thing Zatanna said to do," Static said. "You know…get to know each other."

"Sounds great, you start," Jamie said. Virgil looked at the group hesitantly as they waited for him to start.

"Well it's nothing big. I lived with my dad and sister in Dakota city after my mom passed away. She was a medic and was killed by a stray bullet when she was in the field rescuing a gang member. My sister just moved out and I was waiting for the train to see her when I was abducted by the reach. I was experimented on and now I'm being trained as Static with Black Lightning," Virgil said holding his hand up and letting sparks fly.

"Not very deep," Victor said.

"Want to share yours?" Virgil said with a glare. Victor sighed and threw a stick in the fire causing it to crackle.

~LAST YEAR~

Victor walked into the Titans Tower main doors wearing a Ford Titans football jersey. He was completely human from his head all the way down to his toes. The security guard at the front desk tipped his hat.

"Morning champ. How's practice for the big game going," the man asked.

"Not too bad," Victor said with a smile. "Think we're going to take them this year."

"That's great I'll make sure to keep my eye on the game. Your dad said to just let you in," the guard said and buzzed the doors open. Victor walked down the hall and waved to some of the scientist passing by. He came to room 116 and knocked on the door. An older man in a lab coat let him in. Victor watched from behind a glass window as his father stood in front of an open metal circle that sat in the middle of the room. In the middle mounted by poles and wires was a small metal control panel covered in buttons; the father box. Electricity coursed through it making it light up.

A woman next to Victor's father looked at some readings on a tablet she was holding and shook her head. His father frowned and turned off the electricity.

"Why won't this thing work," his father said. The scientist that let Victor into the room knocked on the glass. Doctor Stone turned around and saw his son behind the glass waving for him to come in. Victor opened the door that separated him and the large room and walked up to his father.

"You said you had something important to talk about and you're late. I was excepting you an hour ago," his father said as the woman handed him the tablet.

"Sorry, practice ran late," Victor explained.

"I thought you were done with football. You need to buckle down and to start looking at colleges."

"I'm doing that too dad. In fact that's what I wanted to talk to you about. I have scouts coming to the next game. Once they see me play I'll have any school I want," Victor said proudly. His father, not so much.

"No son of mine will be going to a football school," Doctor Stone said. A knock on the glass brought the two out of their argument.

"Doctor Stone you have a phone call," the scientist on the other side of the glass called out holding a phone. Doctor Stone began to walk out with his assistant.

"Dad wait. I just wanted to give you the tickets to the next game. I wanted you to see me play," Victor said. His father turned to him.

"I told you I don't want to be a part of anything that has to do with that tedious sport. Your mother would be disappointed in you," his father said. He walked out of the room leaving Victor to look at him in shock. He watched as his father grab the phone from the other scientist.

Anger welled up in Victor. His father said something into the phone and then laughed. Laughed after just saying how his mother who had died would be disappointed in all her son's hard work with something that he loved.

Victor kicked the base of the metal circle that held the father box. He turned to walk out but stopped at the sound of beeping. He turned his head over his shoulder and saw in shock that the small box was admitting a strange blue light. He suddenly felt fuzzy, like he was disappearing.

"Victor get out of there," Victor heard his father shout. The teen ran to the door and made a grab for the knob only to realize that his hand was gone. Not only was it gone but it was like his body was disintegrating into tiny bits and flying towards the light of the father box. It didn't hurt, in fact he couldn't feel anything. He looked down and saw his legs were begin to disappear as well. When he looked back to the window he saw his father trying to get to the door but was being held back by his assistance. And then he knew nothing.

~PRESENT~

"The next thing I knew I was waking up in the hospital with all of…this," he said holding his hands up.

"And your father just decided to put a laser cannon in the palm of your hand?" Cassie asked.

"No pun intended," Gar laughed.

"He didn't do it on purpose. Apparently the only thing that would integrate with me was the father box itself. He attached it to what was left of my chest and it just took over my body, creating everything; cannons and all."

"Does the league know that you're part Apocalyptic tech?" Tim asked.

"You think my father would hide something like that from the Justice League. He's idolized them for years," the teen said. "What about you and your secrets boy wonder. What are you hiding behind those glasses?"

Tim touched his sun glasses and frowned.

"Oh spoilers," Bart said and leaned back. "Can't have the world know who the dynamic duo is right."

Victor gave the speedster a glare.

"Well then what's your story?" he asked.

"Well that my friend, I can go on about for hours," Bart said. As Kid Flash began to weave his tale about time travel and saving the world; which was totally crash, Tim remembered how he became the third Robin.

~A YEAR AND A HALF AGO~

Tim sat at his laptop. He groaned and rubbed his eyes as the night droned on. He turned to the large cage next to him that housed his pet rat. The rat looked up at the teen as it chewed on some celery.

"Don't give me that look Alvin," Tim said to the rat. "You try writing a 10 page paper on Robin the boy wonder."

The rat squeaked.

"I know, I know it's my fault I picked him for my criminal justice class, but everyone else is going with Batman and I wanted to be different. Besides…he saved my life remember," Tim said to his pet.

Looking back at the screen, he had newspaper articles up of Robin from a few months ago (Which was Jason Todd) all the way back to the first case Robin was ever seen with Batman; the Flying Grayson case. It was a gruesome case with the entire family dying except for Rick Grayson who was paralyzed for life and his nephew Richard Grayson who was taken under the care of Bruce Wayne.

"He looks about 10 then," Tim said looking at the picture of Robin. "Which means the one running around with Batman now must be a new one…unless of course Robin doesn't age…which is silly right?" he said looking back at the cage.

Alvin just gave him a stare and continued to chew.

"Now that I think about it, Robin hasn't been seen in a couple of months. It looks like Batman's been working by himself and from how he's been fighting lately he's been in a real bad mood," he said and pulled up another news article that showed a petty car thief pretty beat up; something that Batman didn't really do unless you were one of the big villains like Joker or the Penguin.

Tim went back to the Flying Grayson case and pulled up a video of the family of 6 flying through the air. He watched the youngest one do a quadruple summersault and then caught the bar with ease. Tim stopped the video, rewound it and then played it again.

"No way," he exclaimed.

Quickly opening up another window on his computer he looked up the news video of when Robin saved him five years ago. He found it and clicked on it, fast forwarding it to the point of it showing Robin saving him.

The camera moved from the news anchor and panned up to the apartment building consumed by flames. Out of one of the top windows the glass was kicked out and Robin stuck his head out. He disappeared and when he reappeared he had a little child in his hands; Tim himself.

The firefighters below them moved the giant blowup under the window and Robin dropped the 9 year old to them. Once he saw that Tim was safe he pulled out a grappling gun and shot it to the next apartment. He let himself fall doing a quadruple summersault until the grappling wire pulled taught and he flew through the air.

Tim squinted as he rewound the video and re-watched Robin's fall.

"Is that your mother," Tim heard behind him. He turned quickly and found his father standing in the doorway. Tim turned back to the computer and the news video had paused on the firefighter handing Tim over to a young woman with long black hair. She pulled Tim in tight with tears drenching her cheeks. Tim hadn't realized the news caught this.

"Yeah. I guess it is," Tim said.

"This must have been what…4, 5 years ago?"

"It was right before the cancer started so it must have been 4," Tim said. "I didn't know she was on this. I just needed some close up's of Robin for school," Tim lied.

"Your homework gets stranger as the years go on," his father laughed. "I just came in to let you know dinner is ready."

Tim closed his laptop and followed his father out of the room.

The next day Tim walked up to the gate that led up to the Wayne mansion. He gulped and pulled his backpack tighter onto his back. He rang the buzzer.

"May I help you," a British voice said over the intercom.

"Ah yeah hi…my name is Tim Drake and I'm looking for Richard Grayson."

"I'm afraid Master Grayson does not live here anymore," the voice said after a second of hesitation.

"Oh okay," Tim said and turned to leave. He stopped and sighed.

"Stop wussing out Tim. You can do this," he said to himself. He turned back around and pressed the buzzer again.

"Yes," he heard the man say again.

"Is Mr. Wayne home?"

"He is not receiving any guests at the moment."

"He's going to want to talk to me. I know about…his nightly activities...with bats."

When he was met with silence he slapped his head.

"His nightly activities with bats? Really Tim?" he said.

The gates opened and Tim jumped back in surprise. He walked up the driveway with hesitation. When he came to the door it swung open. He thought he was going to be met with the British man on the loud speaker but was instead met with Mr. Wayne himself; a very angry Mr. Wayne.

"Who are you?" The man demanded to know pulling Tim in sharply. He slammed the door shut and Tim shuttered.

"I…I…I'm Tim Drake," the teen stuttered. When he was met with a glare he figured that was the go ahead to continue. "I found evidence on who the original Robin was and I knew that that meant that you were probably Batman."

"What do you want," Bruce said. "I won't be blackmailed."

"What? No, I don't want any money."

"Then what do you want?"

"I don't know…to help you I guess."

"What makes you think that I need any help?"

Tim pulled out the printed article on Batman beating up the car thief and handed it to the man. Bruce began to read it as Alfred came up behind him reading the article over Bruce's shoulder.

"Something happened to Robin right," Tim asked. Bruce's eyes widen and looked back at the teen. "You never use to be this aggressive before. At least you used to be until you partnered up with Robin four years ago. Now that he's gone you went back to your old intimidating ways. I want to help so you don't have to be like that anymore."

"Quite the little detective wouldn't you say Master Bruce," the butler said. Bruce gave Alfred a glare and then turned back to Tim.

"You can't help. You need to leave and I'll be watching you. If you tell anyone-"

"I won't," Tim said quickly. He walked out just happy to be alive, but he wasn't going to leave it at that.

Over the next few weeks Tim put his gymnastic skills to work and followed Batman in the shadows in nothing but jeans and a red hoodie. He stalked him from a safe distance but Batman knew he was there, catching Tim from the corner of his eye.

This continued until one night Batman was fighting three thugs at once. He didn't notice one coming up behind him with a gun. The man was about to pull the trigger when Tim jumped from the roof above and knocked him out. Batman turned around and saw the young teen standing over the thug. Tim looked up at Batman and gave him a sheepish smile. It was the beginning of their partnership.

~PRESENT~

"Care to share?" Cassie whispered into Tim's ear.

"What?" he asked.

"You were spacing out. Your missing Bart's greatly exaggerated story," she laughed. They looked over at Bart who was on his feet looming over Jamie and making weird faces.

"That didn't happen," Beast Boy said. "Nightwing punched you in the gut and you fell."

"You tell it your way and I tell it my way," he said and sat back down.

"I shall go next," La'gaan said sitting up straight.

Before he could tell his story the earth shook from underneath them.

"What was that?" Cassie asked. The group stood up and looked around.

"An Earthquake," Jamie suggested.

'_Negative. The earth's plates did not shift,_' the scarab informed Jamie.

The volcano behind the team shifted and the crater that was made by Victor cracked and spread down into the ground.

"Oh you're going to get in trouble," Beast Boy laughed at Victor.

"It's not such a bad thing right. I mean no one lives here," Cassie said.

"There is something down there," Raven said behind Jamie spooking the teen.

"What do you mean?" Virgil asked.

"I can see them," she said and her eyes glowed white. "They are not living but they were awaken by the blast on the mountain. They are restless and angry."

"Oh great," Bart said.

"I know Artemis and the others didn't want us to use our powers but…" Jamie said and changed into Blue Beetle. "I think this is an exception.

"I agree," Beast Boy said and turned into a bear. Tim took out the cell phone but frowned at the site of no service written across the screen. The ground rumbled again and rock exploded from beneath the mountain. Everyone got ready for what was to come. A red hand pushed its way through the ground. Gripping the grass it pulled itself up revealing a red robotic head and body covered in burns and wires.

"Red Torpedo," Tim said.

"How is that possible?" Beast Boy said. "Sis said he was destroyed. She saw it."

"Yeah well Red Volcano survived why not his siblings," Cassie said.

After Red Torpedo lifted himself from the ground his sister Red Inferno rose from the earth.

"This is when we kick there butt right?" Blue Beetle said creating a cannon on his hand.

"No wait," Tim said. "They helped the team and Red Tornado destroy Red Volcano. They're on our side."

Red Inferno lifted her hand and fire erupted from it. Everyone scattered from the flames.

"They don't seem to be on our side to me," Virgil said.

"I don't understand," Tim said. Bart ran and swung around the two Red siblings. He saw the wires coming out of their backs; short circuiting and burning. Red Torpedo turned to the speedster and tried to dose him with water. Bart ran out of the way and over to where the group stood.

"There wirings are all messed up. They probably don't even knowing what they are doing," he said. The two robots began to stalk forward to meet the team; both set to fight. Blue Beetle shot them with a plasma cannon but missed when they moved out of the way.

La'gaan puffed up and ran after Red Torpedo. He was almost upon him when Red Inferno spotted him and shot fire from her hands. It hit the Atlantian square in the chest and he went flying backwards.

"La'gaan," Cassie cried out and flew over to the teen who was now covered in burns and struggling to get up. She had just landed in front of him when she was attacked by Red Inferno and was thrown into the trees behind her. The rest of the group went after the two robots when Tim grabbed Victor to stop.

"What," Victor demanded looking back at the boy wonder. The younger teen pointed up to the tree where the arrow sat.

"Were you taught maneuver 7?" he asked.

"Maneuver what?" Victor asked. Tim groaned. He grabbed Victor's hands and brought them low and together.

"Just throw me," he ordered as he put his foot in Victor's hands. The older teen looked at Tim skeptically but threw his hands upwards tossing Tim into the air.

Tim angled himself towards the arrow and just managed to grip the end of the feathers. He pulled it out of the ground and then suddenly found himself free falling. He really didn't think things through.

He was going to hit the ground…hard. He braced for impact but found himself stopping in midair. Tim looked down and saw Raven holding her hands up at him. She pulled her hand down and Tim landed gracefully. His feet touched the ground and he gave her a nod.

Beat Boy came up behind Tim and transformed into a horse bobbing his head to his back until Tim got the hint. Tim jumped onto the green horses back and rode into battle.

Virgil held his hands out to both of the robots and with his static powers the two red siblings smacked into each other as Virgil clapped his hands shut. He went to do it again but the two enemy's understood what he was doing and with some quick maneuvering both robots managed to miss each other when they were thrown together.

Red Inferno threw fireballs at the electrical charged teen and Virgil just managed to dodge. Jamie stood back trying to find his opening. Tim rode up next to him with Bart stopping beside them.

"KF I need you to keep Red Inferno busy. Blue I need you to get Red Torpedo still. I need to get up behind him," Tim said.

"Got it Rob," Bart said and gave the two a salute before running off. He started to run around the female robot in circles and she tried to catch him with fire. Blue Beetle flew forward and shot Red Torpedo with his giant staples. Red Torpedo just raised its arms knocking the staples to the ground.

He then raised his hand towards Blue Beetle and was about to fire its own weapons when it suddenly found that it couldn't move. A black shadow wrapped itself around the robot and prevented it from moving its arms up. Jamie looked behind him and saw that Raven had caught the robot with black shadows.

He didn't waste time and flew up to the robot and gripped it from the side.

"Now Robin," he shouted as the robot began to break free. Beast Boy galloped behind the red sibling and Tim took the opportunity to stab him in the back of the neck. The robot froze and then leaned forward before falling on the ground all together.

"What did you do?" Blue Beetle asked.

"I disconnected the brain from the body by breaking the circuit with the arrow. It's paralyzed for now," Tim said.

"Duck," they heard Bart shout and they all dodged a round of fire. Bart was on the ground with a burn on his leg. With speed that the group didn't know Red Inferno had, the robot was upon Raven.

Raven turned around quickly but was smacked in the face by the metal hand causing her to spin backwards and hit her head on the ground. Blue Beetle was next as Red Inferno slammed her palm into his chest and fired. Blue beetle went flying into the air cutting down a bunch of large trees in the process.

Red Inferno turned around as she heard Beast Boy neigh behind her. He was up on hind legs and about to kick the robot in the face but was to slow. She knocked him backwards causing the horse to go flying at an unsuspecting Victor. Beast Boy turned back into his human/monkey self, right before hitting the cyborg in the chest and in turn they both went into the mountain.

The female robot turned back towards Tim and Virgil; the only two left.

"Get behind me," Virgil shouted at Tim pushing him back. "You have any more plans 'cause I would love to hear one right about now."

"I'm thinking," Tim said in a small panic.

"Esu eht dnuorg ot dloh der onrefni," the voice of Zatanna echoed through the trees. The ground beneath the oncoming robot rumbled and shot upwards grabbing a hold of her from all sides. Her head turned to the side where Zatanna flew down on a gold circle; behind her the Bio-ship.

"We're saved," Virgil said in relief.

The bottom hatch of the Bio-ship opened and Artemis now in her Tigress uniform jumped down followed by Miss Martian floating behind her.

"Are you guys alright?" Tigress asked the two standing boys.

"We're fine. I'm not sure about the rest though," Tim said. M'gann walked over to Red Inferno but ducked as the robot opened her mouth and blew fire.

"How did you stop Red Torpedo?" Zatanna asked.

"Robin took the arrow that you left in the tree and jammed it into his neck," Virgil explained. Tigress went to grab a bow from her back and remembered that she no longer carried them there. She grabbed one of arrows from her side and jammed it into the female robot and it died down just like her brother.

The group gathered there fallen comrades.

"I hurt all over," Cassie said gripping her head.

"Speak for yourself," Beast Boy said as M'gann wrapped his arm.

"What are you complaining about? You landed on me," Victor said.

"Found him," they all heard Zatanna call out. She came out of the bushes with Blue Beetle trailing behind her. "He was stuck in a tree."

"You don't have to announce it," he said in embarrassment.

"How did you know we were in trouble," La'gaan asked as Artemis poured some cool water onto his skin.

"Giant explosions coming from the middle of Yellow Stone Park, not something you hear every night," Tigress said. While the group laughed Tim walked over to Raven who was quietly nursing her bruised cheek.

"You alright?" Tim asked.

"I am unharmed. You don't have to worry," Raven said.

"Look before you go telling me to mind my own business again I just wanted to say thanks."

Raven looked at him in confusion.

"Blue might not be here if you hadn't held Red Torpedo down. I also would be lying on the ground with a broken neck if you hadn't cushioned my fall from the tree."

"I was just doing what I could. We are a team now aren't we," she said with a slight smile.

"Speaking of a team," M'gann said from behind them. They turned around with the rest of the team. "How did you get the arrow from the tree?"

"Really?" Virgil said. "We just took out two robots and almost died and you want to know how we got the arrow down."

"Yes."

"I had Victor throw me at it," Tim said.

"Then our little retreat worked," Tigress said.

"The whole point was to get you guys to work together," Zatanna explained to the blank looks they were receiving from the younger teens.

M'gann laughed "And I think you guys are on your way to becoming a great team."

Titans Tower 

September 6, 23:00 EST

Nightwing sat in the underground layer of the tower. He stood in front of a holo screen with pictures of different hero's.

"A hero playing a false hero…" he said to himself quietly; his fingers resting against his chin in thought. He reached out and slid a picture of Blue Devil to the side and brought up a bigger picture of a young girl dressed in a red one suit with gold stars. Her black hair waved down her backside and she held her hips above a gold lasso on her side. She was also accessorize with black knee high boots, gold arm bands and belt, and a small gold tiara.

"Walking down memory lane," Nightwing heard Mal say behind him and Nightwing swiftly pushed the picture of the girl aside. He turned to meet the tall teen dressed in jeans and a tight blue top.

"Aren't you supposed to be out on the training exercises with the rest of the team?" Nightwing asked. Mal arched an eyebrow.

"College started for Karan and me. We don't have time to go on a field trip with the kids. Besides. We've been on the team long enough that we don't need it."

"You have, but not Guardian," Nightwing said.

"I'm doing just fine as Guardian. In fact I think I'm working the suit better than the guy before me did. I mean it wasn't even the real Guardian right? Just a clone."

Mal turned around and Nightwing looked at him in surprise. He turned back to the screen and pulled up three files with the pictures of the superheroes. One of Superboy and then of Jim and Roy Harper; both in their Guardian and Red Arrow uniform respectively.

"A false hero," Nightwing said and turned off the screen.

**There will be more flashbacks like for La'gaan and Cassie but I just didn't have enough room in this chapter. You'll just have to wait and see **

**Review kindly xD **


	5. Faces

Chapter 5: Faces

Mount Justice

September 9, 10:00 EST

Team year 2

Superboy stood in the middle of the training circle. His fingers fidgeted at his sides as Superman walked around him inspecting his clone from all sides.

"So…" Superman started awkwardly. "Do you have super speed?" he asked.

"No," Superboy stated bluntly.

"Heat vision?"

"No."

"Freeze breath?"

"No I don't have any of that," Superboy said louder than he meant to. He was beginning to get agitated.

"Sorry Super- Conner," Superman said correcting himself. "I'm just trying to get a handle of what you can and can't do." Superboy looked away embarrassed.

"No it's my fault. Canary said that I need to learn to…control my anger," Conner said. Superman gave him a soft smile.

"I think you're doing pretty well," Superman said.

"Well I'm happy," Conner said with a small grin. "I just wanted to learn from you."

"That was my fault. I might be Superman but I still fear things that don't make sense to me. Even learning about my past frightened me. But if you're willing to be patient I can show you everything. From how to control your powers, to the history of Krypton. Would that be alright?"

Superboy smiled. "That's all I wanted."

Titan's Tower

September 9, 10:16 EST

Conner growled as he glared back at the large target board covered in burn marks everywhere but the center.

"Concentrate Kon-El," Superman said.

"I am," Superboy shouted. His eyes lit up red and his newly required heat vision overshot the bull's-eye and hit the wall behind it. Superboy growled again. "Why can't I get this?"

"You're being too hard on yourself," Superman said.

"Why shouldn't I be? Because of all this I forced you to go to Luthor. I need to be ready if he tries anything," Superboy said. Superman sighed and gave Conner a water bottle.

Superboy gulped the water down greedily. When he finished he sighed deeply freezing the water bottle in his hand accidently. He looked at it and growled. Superboy threw the water bottle at the wall and it crashed into tiny shards of ice.

Superman shook his head sadly. They were going to have to go back to the basics. He needed help.

Suicide Slum

September 9, 12:36 EST

Jim sat on his couch with a sandwich on his coffee table and a football game on the TV. He heard a knock from his window and was shocked to see Nightwing sitting on his fire escape giving him a small wave and a smile.

"Nightwing?" he said out loud and walked over to the window and opened it. "What are you doing here?"

"What? Can't a guy come visit a friend?"

"Sure but not dressed in there uniform and coming through the window."

Dick laughed. Jim walked over to the couch and turned off the TV with his remote.

"How are you?" Nightwing asked.

"I'm doing well. I got a security job down at Metropolis's STAR labs."

"Good for you. I'm glad you're doing so well."

"But you didn't come all this way just to make sure I'm doing alright."

"No. I didn't," Nightwing said bluntly.

"You know that I'm out of the hero gig."

"You made that clear when you donated the suit to the museum. Although it has been taken out of retirement."

"What? By who?" Jim asked.

"Someone from our team. He wears it well."

"Good…that's good," Jim said looking a little disappointed. "So what did you need from me?"

Dick took out Gabriela's Horn from his side. "I need you to blow into this."

Jim looked at him like he lost his mind.

"Is the Justice League starting a band?" Jim asked. Nightwing smiled.

"It's kind of an experiment. Just one quick blow and I'll be on my way," Nightwing said handing the horn to the clone.

Jim took it hesitantly. He noticed Nightwing get into an almost fighting position, like he was expecting something to happen as soon as he blew into the horn. With a deep breath Jim blew into it. Nightwing's hope faded as nothing but air came from the mouth of the horn.

"It's broken," Jim stated. Nightwing took it back with a frown. "Was that what was supposed to happen?"

"Yes and no," Nightwing said. He tied the horn back into place and walked back to the window.

"Was there anything else you needed?" Jim asked sympathetically. The hero looked so broken down.

"No. That was it," the teen said. He began slipping his head out the window but stopped for a moment and turned back.

"You know…the new guy might need some help working with the suit. He thinks he's good because he's been with the team before donning the suit but we all know what happens when we get too cocky."

"Really?" Jim asked with a little bit of excitement.

"Yeah. You should come by. The new place is pretty cool."

"Maybe I will. Thanks Nightwing."

Nightwing gave him a nod and took off.

Gotham City

September 9, 23:16 EST

Batgirl and Robin stood on a roof overlooking the city. Batgirl crouched down with her binoculars and looked out into the city.

"How was the first day of school?" she asked her younger partner.

"Weird. I'm not use to being in a uniform all day," Robin said. Bat girl looked up at him with a smirk.

"I meant a school uniform," Robin said. "I miss my friends too. If it wasn't for making my dad happy for getting into Gotham Academy I probably would have turned down Bruce's offer."

"Bruce just wants you to be happy. Gotham Academy has a good educational program and its safer then Gotham North."

"I guess," Robin said. The two fell back into silence. "It's a nice night out," Robin finally said.

Batgirl continued to look through her binoculars and nodded in agreement.

"The perfect weather for a heist," Batgirl said with a smile and handed Robin the binoculars. She pointed downwards and Robin followed her finger to the jewelry store where he watched two people in masks make their way through the glass window they just broke. Robin gave the binoculars back to Batgirl and took out his grappling gun.

"Batman's sure going to be upset to missing out of this," he said. "It's like the good old days of bank robberies and bag snatches."

"What are you going to do about it? If the JL needs you for a mission in Beijing, then you go to Beijing. Just leaves more fun for us," Batgirl smiled. The two of them released there grappling guns and took off into the night.

They pressed themselves against the walls next to the broken window and listen. The sounds of shuffling feet and glass breaking gave them a relative idea of where the masked men were.

"Ready?" Batgirl asked and pulled out a small silver sphere from her utility belt.

"Ready," Robin confirmed in a whisper. He took out his staff and expanded it.

"Now," Batgirl shouted and threw the small stone into the jewelry store. It bounced a few times right up to one of the masked men's feet. He looked down just as the sphere opened up and spewed the room with smoke. He began to cough along with his partner. Robin ran in with Batgirl on his tail with batarangs in her hand.

With a round house kick in the air, Robin's foot made contact with his marks head. The guy spun back around with a gun in his hand but Robin slammed his staff onto the guy's wrist just enough for him to drop the weapon on pain. The man tried to make a run for it pass the boy wonder but Robin dropped to the ground and held his staff out. The would-be robber tripped over it and fell to the floor knocking himself out in the process

The other robber coughed and pushed himself against the wall. He looked around as he whipped out a knife. A batarang flew into the wall next to him; just grazing his cheek. Batgirl walked up to him slowly, casting a shadowy figure of what looked like the batman through the smoke. The man dropped his knife in fear. When she was right in front of him she smiled.

"Boo," she said. The man froze up and fainted to the ground. "Well that was easy enough," she said and wrapped hand cuffs around his wrists. She got back up and turned round. The smoke began to lift and Batgirl stopped in her tracks.

"Don't move or the kid gets it," a third man they didn't notice before said as he held Robin at gun point. She growled under her breath. He must have slipped in before the other two when she and Robin were distracted with their little talk on the roof.

"Stupid," she said to herself. Robin struggled under the man's grip but the guy had him in a choke hold. Batgirl reached towards her utility belt.

"I said don't move," the man shouted and cocked the gun.

Batgirl put her hands up.

"That's fine…we'll all do it your way. Just put him down and you can go peacefully," Batgirl said trying to reason with the scared robber.

"I ain't falling for that," he said pushing the gun into Robin's temple. She began to sweat. She couldn't get Robin hurt. She didn't think that Batman could bare to lose another Robin. Not after the way he lost the first two.

Suddenly a small rock flew through the air from the broken window and hit the man on the side of the head. His eyes rolled up into his head and he slipped into unconsciousness; letting Robin go in the process. The two looked down at him stunned and then looked to where the weapon came from.

A masked girl sat on a small blue motorcycle in front of the window. She was covered from head to toe in dark purple that almost blended in with Gotham City's dusk. Her purple hood hid her face completely.

"Your plans have been spoiled," She said cheerfully with her hands on her hips. She gave the two heroes a small salute, raved her motorcycles engine, and took off. Robin ran out into the street to and Batgirl walked out after him.

"What…was that?" he asked in bewilderment. They watched the bike turn down the street in a rush.

"I have no idea."

YJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJ

"Kon-El," Superman called out with Black Canary at his side. They walked into the main training room to find Superboy but was met with silence. "Maybe he's in-"

"Incoming," Conner shouted and came flying towards the two adults. Superman grabbed Superboy's ankle as the teen passed them in the air and pulled him down. Superboy fell to the ground hard. He looked up at the two adults in embarrassment as he rubbed his backside.

"Well…at least you can get in the air now," Black Canary said with a smile. She helped Superboy up from the ground.

"Yeah, I guess," Superboy said with disappointment.

"How are you doing?" she asked with a soft voice.

"Fine," he said.

"You don't seem to be doing fine. Did you want to talk about it?" she said. Superboy looked at Superman.

"Did you call her here to lecture me?" he asked with a glare.

"She helped you before I thought she might be able to help you now," Superman said.

"You're not giving me a chance to improve on my own. You just don't think I can do it," he said to Superman.

"Conner you know that's not true," Black Canary said. The three stared at each other in silence. Conner growled and looked away.

"Fine…where do you want to talk?"

Black Canary gave him a soft smile.

"Follow me."

Superboy followed Black Canary up the last bit of stairs and she opened the door to the roof. The wind whipped her hair to the side as she looked around.

"This is where you wanted to talk?" Conner asked.

"Not exactly," she said and gestured to the end of the roof. He looked over and was surprised to see Raven sitting cross-legged in a white summer dress; her eyes closed in meditation. The two heroes walked over to the teen.

"What are we doing here?" Conner asked. Raven opened her eyes and looked up at the two.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your meditation Raven," Black Canary said. "But I was hoping that Conner may join you."

"What?" Superboy said in surprise.

"Conner you have the power what you need now is the control. Meditation is a great way to hone in on that power and find what you need to control it."

"This is stupid," the teen argued.

"You've trusted me all these years, why stop now," she said with a point. Superboy sighed in defeat and took a seat next to Raven. She watched in mild curiosity as he tried to pull one leg on top of another. When he couldn't sit like she did he opted to just sit with crisscrossed legs.

"Happy," he said.

"Very," Black Canary said back. "Now Superman and I have a meeting up at the watchtower. Call us if you need us."

"Yeah, yeah," Conner said waving at her to leave. He looked over at Raven who was back to sitting with her eyes closed. He sighed, rubbed the back of his head and shut his eyes.

Washington, D.C.

September 10, 12:16 EST

"Lian don't do that," Roy said to his daughter as she took a Cheerio and threw it at his head. She just laughed loudly and just took another one and chucked it at his head.

"She has the potential to become a great archer," Jade said next to her daughter. The two young adults sat in the diner in there civilian clothes trying to have a normal lunch; at least as normal as it got for them.

"She isn't going into the family business Jade," Roy said.

"I don't know. When we took her on our little adventure in Tibet she seemed to like it," Jade said back with a smile. Roy didn't enjoy the humor. "Don't give me that look. You know I'm joking."

"It's not funny," Roy said back. He was about to keep going when something out the window and caught his eye. He looked out and saw Nightwing leaning against the dumpster away from prying eyes. If it wasn't for his training he would never have noticed his younger friend. He stood up.

"What is it?" Jade asked as she wiped her daughter's mouth.

"I just need to take care of some business," he said and walked out of the diner to the dumpster cascaded in shadow.

"Hey," Nightwing said.

"What are you doing here?" Roy asked.

"I'll be quick. I really don't think this is going to work since I already tried it with Jim but can you just blow into this," he said and handed his friend the horn. "And don't ask."

Roy blew into the horn and just like with Jim, not a single sound was uttered. He handed the horn back with an arched eyebrow.

"This has something to do with getting Wally back, doesn't it?" Roy asked. Nightwing looked up in surprised from putting the horn back.

"How did you-" Nightwing started.

"No one has seen you for two months and now you show up and ask me to randomly blow into a horn. If you remember correctly I disappeared for similar reasons."

Nightwing gave his friend a sad smile.

"He's out there somewhere. Just like how you knew Roy was out there. I just know that I can get Wally back. This is my first really lead since I started."

"Does Artemis know?" Roy asked.

Nightwing just shook his head.

"I promised to leave her alone and that's what I'm going to do."

"And the horn?" Roy asked. Nightwing explained the horn and Raven and how he was trying to find a hero playing a false hero.

"What do you think?" Nightwing asked.

"I think you're going about it the wrong way. I think you want to find someone who is pretending to be the hero they aren't."

"Like who?" Nightwing asked knowing he was back to square one.

"I don't know. Sorry," Roy said with a heavy heart.

Nightwing sighed. He was getting nowhere fast.

YJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJY

The sun was beginning to set as Raven and Conner sat on the roof of the Titan's tower. While Raven had remained in her composed state Conner's head began to nod as he tried to fight off sleep. His head fell to the side waking himself up in the process.

"I'm done," he said with annoyance. He stood up and Raven just stared up at him. "What?" he almost shouted at the girl.

"You are angry," she said.

"I'm not angry, I'm frustrated."

"You are angry that you're frustrated," Raven said and stood up. "You haven't been this angry in a long time. Not since you first started with this team."

"Are you reading my mind?" Conner shouted. "I don't like when people are in my mind without my permission."

Raven shook her head.

"I cannot read minds but I can read emotions and I know of your past."

Conner's anger softened.

An explosion went off in the distance. Superboy squinted and was able to see into the city with his extra sharp sight. He saw an electronic store getting robbed by two blond muscle heads.

"The Terror twins," he sighed.

"Who?" Raven asked.

"No one. Just stay here," he said. He slowly lifted himself from the roof and began to fly off.

"Azarath metrion zinthos," Raven called out and put her hands to the ground. A black shadow appeared under her in the form of a circle and she was lifted from the ground.

"I said to stay," Superboy said.

"You are still learning your new abilities. I want to help."

After a moment of hesitation Superboy nodded reluctantly.

"Just don't get in the way," he ordered.

When the two heroes made it to the store all of the civilians had already fled and the twins were just coming out with a large computer and other bits of technology.

"Not your usual M.O," Superboy taunted after landing.

"Look who it is lil' sis. Our old pal," Tommy Terror said.

"And he's brought a friend," Tuppence laughed.

"I'm feeling generous today," Superboy said. "Put the stuff back and promise I won't hurt you too badly."

"Well it looks like the boss was right. He came just like he said he would," Tommy said.

"Who said I would come?" Superboy asked.

"The boss doesn't like to be named," Tuppence said dropping the computer with a thud. "And now we get to hurt you."

Tuppence lunged for the super teen but was pulled back by a black shadow created by Raven. Raven slammed the girl into the wall of the store. Tuppence groaned but got back up and glared at her.

Raven smiled reached down to her own dress. She ripped it up the sides just like she did with her previous dress and got into a fighting stance.

"I am your opponent," Raven said and egged Tuppence on. Tuppence charged.

Tommy didn't wait to see if his sister was alright. The large man roared and swung his massive fist at Conner. He caught Tommy by the wrist and with his other hand, Superboy punched him in the gut. Tommy was pushed backwards but kept his ground.

Tommy ran back and the two strong men locked hands. It became a battle of will as they pushed each other back.

"Show me what you got…strong man," Tommy smiled. eeeeee

Raven lifted Tuppence up into the air with her magic and dropped her to the ground. She heard Superboy shout behind her and turned around just in time for him to be thrown at her. She just managed to dodge out of the way and ran to her fallen comrade. She bent down to help Superboy up and turned quickly as she felt the Terror Twins come up behind her.

"You want the honors lil' sis," Tommy asked.

"It would be my great pleasure," Tuppence said cracking her knuckles. Before she could throw a punch the sound of a jet engine was heard and green energy bolts shot both the twins. They fell to the ground with small burn marks but were otherwise unharmed. The wind rushed around the two superheroes and they looked up in the sky.

A large light green space jet hovered above them.

"No way," Conner said with a smile.

"What? Who is it?" Raven asked.

"She's back."

YJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJ

'Recognize Tigress B07, recognize Robin B20,' the computer announced.

"And then she just drove off. She didn't give us a name or anything," Robin said explain what happened with the girl in purple saving his life.

"I like her style," Artemis said. They reached the main room where the rest of the group was training. In the middle Wonder Girl was in the middle of fighting Blue Beatle, while Lagoon Boy and Kid Flash spared in front of Aqualad and M'gann.

"You're late," Kaldur said.

"That was my fault. I was late in picking him up from school," Artemis said and pushed Robin forward. Robin blushed under his mask when he saw his girlfriend give a light smile.

"Victor needs a sparring partner," Kaldur said. Victor looked up from where he sat next to Beast Boy and Static. M'gann was happy to see Victor get up without complaint. There might be hope for him yet to join the team.

"Where's Conner?" Artemis asked looking around. "I thought he would be training with his new abilities."

"Black Canary told me she had him go on the roof to meditate with Raven before heading up to the watch tower," M'gann said.

"Now that I have to see," Artemis laughed.

The elevator ding and the team turned to see Conner step out with Raven.

"Look who finally came to visit," he said with a smile. The team stopped sparing. Blue Beatle's eyes widen and Kid Flash's jaw dropped.

A tall tan woman stepped out of the elevator; her eyes nothing but green orbs. Her orange hair draped down well below her lower back and curled towards the bottom. She wore a light purple bikini top that just covered her chest and a very short skirt with high purple boots.

"Starfire," Beast Boy exclaimed and bounced up to her. She smiled and gave him a big squeeze. M'gann walked up to Artemis with a small frown.

"Batgirl isn't going to be happy about this," the Martian said.

"Nope, but I'm sure Nightwing will," Artemis said. Starfire looked up and gave everyone a large smile.

"Well don't all look so whelmed to see me all at once," she said. The girls sighed.

"Yep…" Artemis said. "Just like old times.

**Review kindly xD**


	6. Starfire

**So this chapter is going to take place a year after the first season except for the very last part so don't get confused. **

Chapter 6: Starfire 

Alaskan Tundra 

September 3, 16:16 AKST

Year 1

The air was calm without a cloud in the sky. The ground was covered in at least a foot of snow and it could be seen for miles around with only a few large mountains in the background.

The original Boy Wonder took one step at a time holding his arms against his chest to try and keep himself warm. Evident in his blue lips, it wasn't working. He was definitely going to work out a new Robin costume with long sleeves after this. He lifted his arm up and glared at the small father box in his hand.

"Thiss…this is all…yyyyyour faulttt," he chattered against the icy air. "Ooonne minute I'mmm kicking buttttt in Mettttropolis and thththe next I'm in the midddle of nowwwwhere."

He checked his com-link again and found nothing but static and of course he was too far out for Miss M's range.

"Sssso not feeling the astttter," he said out loud. He just needed to get to those pine trees up ahead. Maybe he could find some shelter, make a fire, and find something to eat. Then he could think straight again and get out of here.

He walked through the trees and found that luck was on his side. A small cave jutted out from some rocks. He carefully inspected it and when he found that there were no wild animals that would eat him for lunch he sat down and gave himself a moment to collect. He put the father box in front of him and sighed at the broken panel. He might be a geniuses when it comes to Earth tech but he didn't think he would have the necessary skill to fix an alien transporter that broke on the way out of the worm whole it sucked him into.

After resting up he went out to collect some firewood. As he bent down and grabbed a twig he heard voices in the distance. Robin's eyes widen in relief and ran to catch them. As he got closer he realized that the voices was of a language he never heard before. He followed the voices to a small clearing and stood behind a tree. He peered out and saw a light green jet parked in a clearing in the middle of the woods. What at first seemed like a rescue, turned into a nightmare.

Robin never met the alien species that was standing outside the jet personally but the Green Lanterns told him enough stories to know they were trouble. Gordanians were hunters. They were a species of aliens that resembled Earth's own lizards with body armor. They didn't care who or what the job was, if it paid well they would do it; especially selling slaves.

"Nat nucke ca," the one in yellow armor said as he repositioned the large gun in his hand.

"Slit kute," said the one in blue armor. Robin pulled up his glove computer and found his translator.

"Thank you Hal," Robin whispered with puffs of air. He held his computer up and let it translate what the aliens were saying.

"I just want to drop this thing off and go collect our bounty for the girl. We never should have agreed on this job," the one in yellow said.

"Stop complaining. I want it gone just as much as you do but we're getting a lot of Earth weapons for it. Give our buyer a little bit more time," the one in blue said back.

Robin glared at the aliens. They had a prisoner. Prisoners needed to be rescued.

"Besides…I bet it's warm in that ship," Robin whispered.

Robin noticed alien wording scribble along the ship; probably the name of it. He held his computer up to it to scan it and find out what the ship was called. Maybe if he could find the specs in his computer he could fly this thing out of here.

He frowned. The computer couldn't read it which meant that it wasn't Gordanian language. It belong to a species that the translator didn't know.

"You're supposed to know every language in the universe. I'm officially underwhelmed with you," Robin complained to his arm computer.

Robin grabbed a round batarang out of his utility belt and flipped it open. He threw it across the clearing behind the lizards and it smashed through the trees. The Gordanian looked over to where the sound was.

"Probably an Earth animal," the one in blue armor said. "Better go check it out just in case."

The other one rolled its eyes but followed the order anyway. Once he was gone and the lone alien stood outside the ship. Robin made his move. He grabbed some more batarangs and let them fly. They hit there mark slamming into the aliens armor.

Before the Gordanian even had time to shout the batarangs opened up and electrocuted him. The alien fell unconscious allowing Robin to run pass him and into the ship.

Robin gaged at the smell. It was humid and foul in the ship and he didn't want to be in there any longer than he had to. He was going to go up to the cockpit when he heard thumping and what sounded like the blasting of a weapon coming from the back. He went to go check it out just in case it was another Gordanian.

Taking out his eskrima sticks he slowly made his way down the corridor waiting for the attack. He found the thumping noise coming from behind a metal door and then a scream of anger from a girls voice; the prisoner. He shrunk his eskrima sticks back into his utility belt and went for the electronic panel on the side of the door. He lined his computer to it and was lucky enough that the system was hackable with his computer.

"Today's my day," Robin joked. The light on the panel turned green and beeped. The thumping and angry screaming stopped for a moment and Robin backed up. The door opened with a hiss and out of the darkness a tall redheaded girl in a small purple dress jumped out at him with her fists at the ready.

"Wait," Robin shouted as he dodged the attack.

"Ropo no retar carfan doe," the girl shouted. Robin held out a batarang but stopped short. She was beautiful. He was just completely memorized by her green orbed eyes; the green eyes that began to glow greener and shot out two bolts of energy at him. He summersaulted out of the way.

"Please, stop," Robin said after dodging another attack. "I'm on your side."

He took his batarang and slowly placed it on the floor. The girl watched him with skepticism.

"Hodor notpo carton."

"Umm…yeah. I don't know what that means but I'm not going to hurt you. I'm Robin…" he said gesturing to himself. "Robin."

The prisoner slowly walked up to him with her hand out in defense. Robin backup until he was against the wall. She came face to face with him and bent down until her eyes met his.

"What are you-" Robin started but was cut off as she dropped her lips upon his. She held it there for a moment and Robin felt surrounded by warmth. He leaned into the kiss. The girl pulled away from him and looked at Robin with curiosity.

"That was…astrous," she said.

"Yeah," Robin said with a dumbfounded smile. "Wait…you speak English? And…you said astrous. No one says astrous."

"Now they do," she said. "My people can take the speech of any intelligent being that we make lip contact with...I like that way you talk."

"Thanks," Robin said a little dumbstruck. "My name's Robin," he said again now that he knew that she understood.

"I'm Princess Koriand'r from the Planet Tamaranean but many of my comrades call me Kory."

"Princess?" Robin asked in surprise.

"Yes. I was taken from my home to be sold. It was the only way to save my planet from war with the Gordanians."

"Well I'm here to save you and any other prisoners on this ship," Robin said.

Robin went to the next cell door but Kory grabbed him by the arm.

"Don't. I heard the Gordanians talking about the other prisoner. It's an Opertet or in your language, an Antithesis."

"A what?"

"A creature that lives on one of the outskirt planets of my solar system. It rarely comes to my planet but stories of it are told to keep the children in bed at night. No one really knows what it looks like since everyone who goes against it never comes back."

"Okay so I guess we'll leave it in there for now," Robin said. "Let's go. I need to figure out how to fly this ship."

"I can do that," Kory said. "This was my ship before the Gordanians took it for their own. Welcome to the Starfire," she said placing her hand on the wall. "And they ruined her."

"I think your still pretty- I mean her, the ship…I think the ships pretty," Robin tried to fix his mistake. Kory laughed.

"Let us go," she said.

The two teens walked through the hull of the ship. The made it to the front and Kory began firing up the engines of the Starfire. Robin looked out the window and his eyes widen as the Gordanian that went off into the woods had come back and was running towards them. He paused and lined up his giant gun with the ship.

"Go," Robin shouted. Kory pulled on the steering wheel of the ship and with a loud roar the ship began to take off vertically.

The lizard like alien pulled the trigger of its gun and a large beam shot out of it hitting the back of the ship. The two teens lunged forward as the back engines burst into flames.

"My ship," Kory shouted.

"Forget the ship. We need to get out of here," Robin said. He grabbed Kory by the arm and took out a batarang. He shot it through the glass and pulled out his grappling gun to use. He felt two hands grab him from under his arms before he could hook his gear into place and he was pulled upwards.

"Hold on," Kory said and lifted the two out of the ship and into the sky. The Gordanian continued to shoot after the two and managed to hit Kory in the arm. She shouted out in pain and dropped Robin over the pine forest.

Robin's eyes widen as he went free falling. There was nothing he could do to stop himself. He fell through the trees and he reached out to grab a branch on the way down. He managed to wrap his hand on one, only to hear a sickening crack and a pop. He cried out in pain and his wrist loosened. He hit the ground only to survive with the cushioning of the snow.

"Robin?" Kory called out from the sky holding her arm as blood dripped from under her hand. Robin sat up slowly holding his shoulder.

"Down here," Robin shouted. Kory looked down and spotted her new friend. She landed in the snow gracefully.

"I won't be able to carry you anymore. My arm has been hurt," she said showing him the deep burn marks going from her shoulder down to her elbow.

"I wouldn't be able to hold onto you anyway. I think I dislocated my shoulder and broke my wrist on the way down," Robin said and tried to stand up. Kory bent down and tried to help him up with her one good arm. Robin hissed as he realized he might have strained a few ribs as well.

"I am so sorry," Kory said.

"Don't be. I've had worse," he said reassuringly.

A piercing high pitch cry filled the air. It almost reminded Robin of a humpback whales song.

"The Gordanians," Robin stated.

"No," Kory said with fear in her eyes. "Worse. That's the howl of the Antithesis."

"It must have gotten out when the jet went down."

"Of course it did," Kory sighed.

"You need to get out of here. I'll draw the Gordanians and the Antithesis's attention away from you," Robin said.

"I will not leave you," Kory started. "And if the Antithesis escaped then there is no need to worry about the Gordanians. They are already dead."

Robin gulped back his fear. Kory was making this Antithesis sound worse and worse by the minute.

"Well then…we need to get to shelter. I found a cave awhile back. Let's get there and then we'll come up with a strategy."

Kory nodded in agreement and the two helped each other hobble to safety.

Once in the cave Robin took off his utility belt and took everything out. He took out a roll of surgical tape and bandaged his wrist.

"I need you to pop my shoulder back into place," Robin said. Kory took a seat next to the boy wonder and gripped his shoulder lightly.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Not really," Robin said with a laugh. Kory didn't say anything back and pushed up on his shoulder earning herself a pop and a gasp of pain.

"Better?" she asked.

"Feeling the aster," Robin laughed half heatedly. He proceeded to wrap up Kory's injury and then went through his supplies. He had six batarangs, three grabbling gun hooks, seven smoke pellets, a small amount of leftover surgical tape, a lighter, a Taser with a replacement cartridge, a small pocket knife and of course the Father Box. Not much to go on.

Kory's stomach growled.

"I'm sorry. I haven't eaten in a long time," she said.

"I understand. I'm hungry too," Robin said.

"I will hunt for our food," Kory said.

"You can't go by yourself. You'll freeze in that dress, you don't know about the animals on this planet and that Antitheses thing is still out there," Robin said.

"First of all I'm not very cold. My people are very resistant to uninhabitable conditions. Second you can just tell me what I can hunt, and third we need to do something even with the Antitheses out there or we are going to die anyway."

"You're right," Robin finally sighed. He needed to have food. He needed fire. Now that his adrenaline was dying back down he was beginning to get cold again. Kory nodded and she slowly walked out of the caves mouth.

Robin set a fire with the few twigs outside the cave. The sun was beginning to set and Kory still wasn't back. He was trying to occupy himself with fiddling with the Father Box and his small knife but he was beginning to get nervous. The high pitch sound was getting closer and more frequent.

Suddenly the Father Box lit up. Robin's eyes widen. He flipped the box over and shook it slightly only to have the small device spark and slightly explode in his hands. He growled and threw the box to the ground.

"I shouldn't have let her go out there," he said. Robin stood up with some difficulty; gripping his sore ribs with his good hand. He walked to the foot of the cave.

"Kory," he whispered out into the wilderness. An owl hooted and an animal chirped in a tree but there was no sign of Kory.

Robin took a step outside the cave flinching at the crunching sound his foot made with the snow. He took out his batarang. The sound of a twig snapping made him turn sharply and sighed in relief as Kory approached him; her eyes glowing a light green hue and she had a few dead rabbits in her hand.

Robin lowered the batarang.

"Did I scare you?" Kory laughed.

"No," Robin smiled back. He looked into the shadows behind Kory and his face twisted into horror. A large creature silently took a step behind Kory. It was thin and tall with sickly yellow skin that stretched across its bony structure. Drool dripped between the teeth of its long jaw and landed on the snow causing it to sizzle and melt. Its eyes glowed bright red.

Kory saw Robin's stare and dropped the rabbits. She slowly turned around and stared up at the creature. It howled creating the sound they have been hearing through the woods.

"Run," Kory shouted and shot into the air and passed Robin. The Antithesis roared and with one giant step it was almost upon Robin.

Kory shot two starbolts from her hands and the alien cried out in pain, but it didn't stop it.

Robin took out his small knife as he ran with Kory flying just in front of him. The high snow and strong winds were slowing him down and his injuries weren't helping. Robins stopped running and turned around holding his knife out.

"Why are you stopping?" Kory yelled, turning around when she noticed he wasn't following.

"Keep going. I'm going to distract it."

"No you're not. We can get out of here together," she said and grabbed his good arm to pull him back. He shook her off.

"Go find help. I don't know where the next populated area is. I'm just going to slow you down and then we are both going to die. Just go."

"No," Kory shouted again. The Antitheses howled again and it crashed through the pine trees. Robin grabbed his grappling gun and shot it at a branch above the alien. He put the knife in between his teeth and allowed himself to go flying into the air with the grappling gun. When he was above the Antitheses he let go and dropped down onto the alien. He dropped the knife back into his hand and jammed the knife into its shoulder.

Robin cried out in pain as he felt his broken wrist slip from his hand made splint. The Antitheses howled once again and with its giant claw grabbed Robin from his shoulder; its nails digging into Robin's chest and back.

Robin hissed but twisted his dagger in deeper.

'_Foolish human,_' Robin heard inside his head. The Boy Wonders eyes widen.

"You speak English," he said flabbergasted.

'_I speak no language and I speak all. The mind hears what it wants to hear. Too bad it will be the last thing you know,'_ it hissed. It opened its large mouth and bit Robin on the shoulder. Robin screamed as the acidic saliva eroded his skin.

"Robin!" Kory shouted. She was about to jump at the alien with her starbolts at the ready when something yellow flew passed her with great speed. It hit a tree and bounced off it using its trajectory to punch the alien in the process. The Antitheses growled and released Robin from its grasp.

Another blur of red ran pass Kory and stopped under where Robin was falling and caught him. It was the Flash.

"I got you kid," he said letting Robin down to stand on his own two feet. Robin looked up at him in confusion as he held his bleeding shoulder. The yellow blur stopped short and revealed itself to be Kid Flash; Wally. Kid Flash gave the Antitheses a glare and began to run circles around it to keep it distracted.

"Flash," Robin said dizzily. "How did you find me?"

"After you disappeared from the fight with Toy man in Metropolis we knew it was because you got a hold of the Father Box he was using. We tried to find its residual energy but couldn't pinpoint your location until it went off again."

"I got it to go off in the cave a little while ago. That must be what you were able to pinpoint," Robin said.

The two hero's heard Kid Flash grunt and they looked just in time for Kid Flash to go flying towards them. Flash ran forward and caught his nephew in the process. He brought him down and stood him next to Robin as Kory came up behind them.

"KF am I glad to see you," Robin said.

"Then maybe you shouldn't go on adventures without me," Kid Flash said back. He turned to Kory and smiled. "Hey babe. You can call me Kid Flash."

"Kory," she said still looking over at the Antithesis. She pushed him back as acid flew in between the two.

"It shoots acid?" Robin shouted.

"So not feeling the aster right now," Kory said. Wally looked at her.

"Did you just say aster?" Wally asked.

"Not now KF," Robin said and grabbed Wally's arm with his good hand. They turned to run and Robin spotted that the Justice League that accompanied the Flash had finally caught up to the speedsters. Superman flew ahead of the group followed by Wonder Woman and a girl with black hair and a red one piece. While he was happy to see everyone the most brilliant sight to Robin was behind them all; the Batplane.

Superman and Wonder Woman flew pass the group straight at the alien and with a small salute, the Flash went to follow them. The girl in the red one piece flew down in front of Robin and sighed.

"What did you do this time," she said with the shake of her head.

"It's nice to see you too Wonder Girl," Robin said. The Batplane landed behind the group and Batman jumped out. Kid Flash and Wonder Girl moved a side so Batman was able to step in front of Robin.

"Hey," Robin said awkwardly. Batman didn't say anything but gently touched Robin's bitten shoulder that had now stopped bleeding due to the cold. Batman grabbed his cape and unclipped it, placing it over the shoulders of the younger member of the dynamic duo.

Batman shot Kory a glare from the side and she took a step back.

"Take him to the jet," Batman ordered Wonder Girl without taking his eyes off the new alien girl. Robin looked up at Batman.

"She saved my life. She's not the enemy," Robin said. He then allowed Wonder Girl to lead him to the ship. Superman shouted over by the fight and Kid Flash, Kory, and Batman turned to face it.

The Antithesis howled and drove Superman into the ground. Wonder Woman grabbed her lasso and swung it around the giant creatures head and pulled its back. It took a step backwards and Flash dove under it tripping the creature in the process.

From under its claws Superman lifted the giant hand up and threw it off him using his heat vision in the process to make the alien pull its arm back. The creature gave the heroes a glare and growled in anger. Like swatting a fly it swung its hand around and wacked Wonder Woman to the side. She hit the snow with a thud and disappeared under the white powder. Flash called out to her and didn't notice the giant claw reach around his waist and toss him aside like a rag doll.

"Flash," Wally called out. "What is that thing?" Kid Flash asked.

"It's a monster that needs to be destroyed before it destroys you," Kory answered. The Antithesis once again spit up acid shooting it towards the man of steel. Superman tried to dodge it but got hit in the leg by a splash of it. He shouted in pain as it began to eat away at his suit. He fell, knocking down a few trees in the process.

Kory glared at the creature and flew pass Kid Flash and Batman who was already taking out his batarangs. The Antithesis was about to slash down at the man of steel but Kory flew in front of him. Still holding on to her bad arm her green eyes glowed bright. With a warring cry two flashing lights of green shot from her eyes and hit the Antithesis in the chest. It screeched as it fell backwards; its chest plate now cracking down the middle

"You will not hurt my new friend's comrades," Kory said. She walked up to it and held out her good arm letting her hand light up green with energy. She took a step onto the Antithesis chest and aimed for the cracked plate.

"Stop," Batman ordered her and gripped her charging arm. She whipped around to him in confusion.

"Why?" She asked. "It tried to kill us. It deserves nothing but death from a warrior."

"I don't know what they do on your planet but here we don't kill our enemies if it can be helped."

Kory looked back at the Antithesis who stared at her with a glare. The green energy surrounding her hand died down and she sighed. Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash and Kid Flash approached them.

The Antithesis cackled.

'_You made a grave error in sparing me,' _it hissed. _'You think you have won but nothing can ever kill my kind. I will be back in a way that will make you all suffer greatly and I will show no mercy.'_

With a gurgling sound the body of the Antithesis's body began to expand.

"Get away," Superman shouted. Everyone flew and ran from the creature and just after they got out of harms reach the alien exploded spewing acid that made the trees near it melt.

"Dude that's disgusting," Wally said with a gag. Superman turned to Batman.

"It's gone," he said.

"For now," Batman said back. Wonder Woman and Flash walked up to the two and they all looked at Kory who was walking over to the batplane with Kid Flash and to where Wonder Girl and Robin waited for them at the hanger door.

"What do we do with her?" Wonder Woman said looking over at the alien girl. Flash shrugged his shoulders and Batman looked over the teens in thought.

Mount Justice

September 10, 11:16 EST

Year 1

The team lined up in a straight line. Robin stood in civilian ware and sunglasses with his arm in a sling. Batman stood in front of them with Kory at his side now dressed in a purple short sleeved top, black shorts and black flats; her arm bandaged from her shoulder down.

"As you know Koriand'r has been grounded on our planet until her ship can be repaired. The Starfire was heavily damaged and without the proper equipment it might take a while," Batman said.

"You won't hear any complaints from me," Wally said. He earned a small smile from Superboy on his left but was stuck with a punch from Artemis on his right.

"Even with my ship working I will not be allowed back on my home world," Kory said looking up at Batman. "I was given up as a trade so that my people would be spared war with the Gordanians. If I returned I would be found weak and banished from my home," Kory explained.

"That's why we sent the Green Lanterns to Tamaran. Apparently your planet was never part of the Lantern Corp watch and they want to help with a peace treaty. If all goes well you will be sent back in just a few short months," Batman said.

"Just a couple of months?" Superboy asked in disappointment.

"It hardly seems fair for us to only get to know you for such a short amount of time," Aqualad said. Artemis, Rocket, Zatanna, Wonder Girl and M'gann glared at the boys as they all stared at the new girl with eyes of affection. Kory gave them all a big smile of joy.

Blüdhaven 

September 11, 10:30 EST

Dick sat on his bed after coming out of the shower with a pair of sweat pants on and a towel around his neck. He stood up letting the towel drop on the floor exposing his back to his bedroom mirror. His shoulder blade was dotted with large scars that could easy be made out to be the left over wounds of the teeth of the Antithesis.

Dick didn't give it any thought and was more preoccupied with his newest markings that Raven left him. The black markings were now growing not only up his arm but was now nearing his wrist.

"I hope this thing disappears after I find Wally. Or at least stops spreading," he said touching the marks. His door bell rang several times and he grabbed a t-shirt from the floor. The ringing persisted as he walked up to the front door of his small apartment with his shirt now on. He looked through the peep hole and his eyes widen. With a quick unlock of the door he swung it opened only to be attacked by a head of long red hair.

"Dick," Kory cried out gripping him into a tight squeeze. She now wore a low cut lavender shirt that had sleeves down to her elbows with a white thigh high skirt. Her eyes were covered by large black sunglasses hiding her green eyes behind them.

"Kory," Dick said in shock. He looked behind her and saw M'gann and Artemis standing behind her with grins across their faces.

"Look who's here to see you," M'gann said. Dick smiled and finally wrapped his arms around Kory.

"It's been so long," Kory said as they all moved into the living room. She removed her glasses showing Dick her pupiless eyes.

"It has," he said as the two took a seat next to each other on the couch. Artemis and M'gann took a seat on two armchairs across from them. Kory gave Dick a soft smile and placed her hands on top of his.

"But you didn't just come here to say hi," he said.

"You know me too well," Kory said.

"Did something happen on Tamaran?" Artemis asked. "You know we'll help in any way."

"No. Tamaran has gotten very traught thanks to the Justice Leagues help," Kory said. "It is your planet that is in danger."

"What?" Artemis asked as M'gann and Dick gave the Tamaranean girl a confused look.

"Because of the peace treaty the Green Lanterns helped make, our planet has been opened to trade with other planets. A lot of slave runaways of those that were taken by Gordanians take refuge on our planet including the few that escaped from a planet called Apokolips."

"I know that name," M'gann said. "Conner mentioned it when he told me how he met the New Gods when they came for Sphere," she explained.

"Apokolips is a planet that can only be reached by Boom tube," Kory said. "With so many refuges coming from it in the pass couple of months it made me suspicious. I asked around for a long time. Many of the survivor's minds were so warped and confused that I couldn't get a straight answer," Kory explained.

"Sounds like a messed up place," Artemis said. Kory nodded.

"It does. I finally heard news about a trader who barley escaped being captured by an Apokolips soldier. He told me that they spoke of Earth and how their master is heading there to conquer it."

"This is something we need to tell the league," Dick said. He stood up and grabbed his cell phone. "What's the name of the soldiers master?" he asked Kory as he speed dialed the only person he knew could handle something like this; Batman. Kory frowned.

"The trader said they only called him the Unspeakable," she whispered. The three heroes looked at her with wide eyes.

They haven't even heard this new threats real name and they could already feel their own fear running through their veins. They didn't need to use M'gann's mental link to know they were all thinking the same thing. This new threat was going to be a lot worse than they ever faced.

**Review kindly xD**


End file.
